


Souls Lost to be Won

by entwinedloop



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Love/Hate, Pining, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2019-08-24 15:23:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 61,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16642775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/entwinedloop/pseuds/entwinedloop
Summary: Post S1 finale. Rio makes Beth an offer. If she wants to get back in his good books, this is the way to do it. It doesn’t mean he trusts her, but hey, it’s mutual.





	1. Chapter 1

Beth's packed bag laid quietly in Ruby's car as the two made their way west. Beth cursed under her breath. It didn't help at all that she was the main target for her swear words. Despite the reservations that weighted down her choice, she had agreed to this. Grey buildings and colorful signs passed by too quickly as she sifted through these doubts to try and remind herself of the reasons she said yes.

If she would've taken a different choice that other night... Ugh, like she would've. She had refused to shoot. Not because she didn't want to fire the gun. She would've gladly, if recklessly, aimed at the floor to prove something to him. Prove that even if she wasn't able, yet, to upstage him she couldn't be messed with. Taking aim at Rio, even if the thought had crossed her mind briefly, madly, while she held his gun, wouldn't have been her intention. The sight of him sprawled on her chair, taunting her, it boiled her insides but she didn't want to do it let alone pull the trigger to hit him. If nothing else, it wouldn't have been practical. Might as well be a truly permanent loss of a sizable source of income. Sure, a part of her wanted to be king. It was no longer a seedling but stems had grown and they craved power, respect, and attention. But it wasn't going to be that night. Not if it meant shooting him.

Once she set the gun back on the edge of the table he soon disappeared. But not before picking it up and pulling her outside along with him, leaving Dean behind, telling him that if he wants him and his wife to stay alive, to stay put and not move.

He had walked right up to her, tilted his head towards the back door, and taken her by the arm. In those brief seconds she managed to nod at Dean to let him she was OK. She wasn't, but she was going to face Rio on her own. He came to see her. His battle wasn't with her husband.

He pulled back his hand as soon as they stepped on the grass in her empty back yard.

"This isn't over, sweetheart," He said. The bravado of detached coolness, even mischief, had vanished. Left behind in the dining room to keep Dean company. Rio's ire collided with hers as her terror eased just by a hair its hold on her body. What she saw in his eyes, the exhaustion, even hurt that peeked through the rage, she felt it too.

"We're even now," she found the courage to counter quickly, her tears dry on her cheeks. Her heart picked up. He wouldn't shoot her in her own back yard. Would he? "I shouldn't have done that. Turned you in. I'm sorry."

Apologizing dried her throat like she had swallowed a spider. At that point she hadn't yet had the days to reflect on what happened. As he faced her, his head slightly bent, all she could think about was that he was the one who made her think she was risking her freedom for what turned out to be a stupid test. How only yesterday he admonished her that it was over. Their business. The inescapable fact that him ending it also bothered her, on a personal level, one that she didn't want to understand, well, she hated that.

Her apology didn't go far in any case. Rio's face tightened and he shook his head.

"Don't go to Annie's or Ruby's." She pleaded, almost losing her composure and out of desperation reaching out her hand to touch him. "It was my idea."

He barked a laugh. "I don't give a damn which one of you it was. You sold me out. So you didn't kill me. That makes us even? I would've done time – because of you?" Loathing swept over his face.

Something inside her clicked oddly and she wasn't sure why.

"I thought-" She started, though she knew she was pushing him.

"Nothing," he said and closed his eyes briefly. "Nothing you thought was worth the cops showing up at my house."

An unwelcome flick of remorse picked at her conscience as she imagined what it would've felt like. Cops showing up at her door and hauling her away. Still, she reminded herself. She was certain he was going to kill her. Her sister. Her friend. Nothing in Rio's closed body language invited further discussion.

Rio fixed his shirt and his gun came into view before disappearing.

"If it's not over," Beth said, trying to stop her voice from shaking. "What's left?"

He took a step towards her and she bit her inner lip, ordering her feet not to move.

"Sit tight and don't do something stupid," he glanced at her house then back at her. "Or you'll find out real quick." Something dark passed behind his eyes.

"I won't go to the police."

"Good."

Her neck was tensing up from looking up at him at such close distance, from wanting to pull a bit away from him. She kept his gaze, feeling the tension between them coil and stretch until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Was the gun even loaded?" Although he had just threatened her she couldn't resist asking. What did he give her a gun for? What did he want?

"Even if it wasn't—" he shook his head and took a step back. "There's always a chance there's a bullet stuck inside." She could smell the geraniums when she replayed those words in the days that followed. Could smell the wind picking up around them.

"You trusted me not to shoot you?" Her eyes widened.

"Took a leap of faith." He raised his chin. "I'll see you. When I'm back to collect."

For a moment she thought he'd touch her. Like he'd done when he threatened her when she came to the living room to show off her necklace.

He didn't. His footsteps crushed stray leaves as he quickly departed, his clothes masking his figure in the darkness. She continued standing, half expecting him to return. Maybe hoping he'd reappear so she wouldn't have to wait to find out what he wanted. Her breathing slowed while a handful of fireflies gently swirled through the air. After soaking in a couple of peaceful minutes she made her way back to the house.

* * *

 

"I'll leave." Dean offered. After Rio left Beth had helped him clean up and started on the kids' lunches, needing to do something.

"I'll give you some space, but Bethie, that's the hardest thing I'll have to do."

"Not the hardest," She said as she prepared the kids' lunches, plates lined across the counter to get the job done quickly. "I'm sure suffering from fake cancer hurt more." She lifted her eyes not losing her concentration of each of her kids' tastes and preferences.

"We've been together for twenty years." Dean rubbed his hands together. "To compare that to what happened-"

He swallowed his words as Beth shot him a look, barely concealing her pain.

"Don't give up on us." He finished.

"Give up?" She shook her head. "I can't even look at you." She scooped avocado and started spreading it on Julia's slice. "Leave." Despite her conviction, it was easier to think than to say it.

She returned to her sandwiches and started putting them in each plastic bag.

"It's not my place." Dean took a tentative step towards her. "But that guy- he's not good news."

She held back a snicker. Too late for that. She had opened the door. It appeared tightly closed for now but it was an illusion. She expected a knock on the other side, or, more likely, for her guest to help himself inside. She'd figure out what she'd do then. Two sandwiches packed, three...

"Dean." She said impatiently when he continued to stand across the kitchen island.

He finally left. She put her head in her hands. The deafening silence wrapped around her. This was the easy part. She had run house on her own before. Dean was often at work or occasionally on conferences. But for him to be gone for more than a few days? The pain Beth felt couldn't be patched up quickly. Maybe not even – she didn't want to think about that. Saying goodbye wasn't the same as each day after. She wasn't completely sold that she could do it for more than a few days. "I have to," she thought, standing straight. She needed this space. If anything for this reason she was sure she'd figure it out.

Though she was shaken in the days that followed Rio's visit she didn't think he was going to kill her. He had come and gone with a gun. He had threatened her before leaving but it was for her not to go to the cops and she made sure Dean understood that as well. At one point she had the careless thought that Rio would surely not send his guys after her. It'd be him. That was only followed by the thought of what relief was to be found in that?

In those first days she had moments, late at night or during that day that she found herself nearly craving Dean's presence. Not so long ago she had considered his familiar voice to be safe. Even with issues they faced before everything blew up. She didn't go back on her request to ask him to leave. The thought of him returning was worse than the thought of him being away.

Life quietly resumed between kids' classes and extracurricular activities, Annie's stories about customers at Frugal and her making the most of her reduced time with Sadie. Beth often asked Ruby after Sara. While Sara continued to do well, overall, Beth was less certain about Ruby and Stan. Ruby didn't go into detail so Beth was left to put together the pieces her friend did share. In passing Ruby said Stan occasionally returned home very late and talked with her only the necessary bare minimum. It made for uncomfortable Dr. visits and family meals. The kids had to know something was going on. They tried to keep face in front of the kids but Ruby was fighting from coming apart from the tension.

"What matters is that Sara's doing well." She said the last time the topic of her and Stan came up. But her voice broke slightly and she swallowed like she was fighting tears.

"What you did—" Beth put her hand over Ruby's, "I would've done. No question." It wasn't the first time she had said this.

"I lied to him." Ruby blinked through tears. "He told me that if I had told him the truth-"

"He's a police officer. What would he have done with the truth? What could he have done? You needed to help Sara quickly."

Despite the tension and loaded sadness that Ruby shared Beth wanted to trust that she and Stan would work through their crisis. When Ruby's eyes brightened as she talked about her daughter socializing with friends outside of school, at her growing stamina, Beth thought that what they'd gone through with Rio had been worth if only for that.

She still didn't understand why Rio had urged her to shoot. She tossed his possible motives in her head. Death wish? Desire to tip her over to a kind of breakdown? No. No, to coax her like that he had to be confident that she wouldn't shoot him. Would she ever get to the point that she could shoot a man, she asked herself as she folded laundry. That she could shoot Rio? She didn't welcome the path these questions led her but they lingered. She felt something when she held that kind of power.

Soon after routine settled in she started to apply for jobs. It was humbling. A lot had changed since she last looked for work. Back when she faxed or dropped off her job application in person. Reading over her resume she wished she could fill a little of the blank space of the last twenty years with her money laundering stint. Putting down volunteer experience did well to lift her spirits. PTA meetings (a number of them she had led), bake sales, and putting together costumes not just for her kids but for Sadie, Ruby's kids, and occasionally even other friends' kids.

As she looked up synonyms for "organized" and "created" she imagined how she would've sold the duties she held under her previous surreptitious role. That is, if she was indeed so tempted to put down a sanitized version of it. How would she explain to a prospective employer that her former boss was no longer available for contact? She tried to imagine the same employer quizzing Rio about her and broke into a smile. It was a difficult to imagine.

A dozen job applications in she managed to get an interview for an entry level clerical work scanning documents. She didn't get the job. Even if she had gotten it, she consoled herself after reading the polite rejection email, the pay would've been a hard pill to swallow.

"Money wasn't the whole story though, was it?" She thought as she clicked through her bookmarks looking for new job ads. Feeding documents through a machine, where was the kick in that? Maybe if she pretended bills came out the other side. She brushed the thought away.

But even if the memory could be put aside the feeling was still vivid. The rush when Rio showed up. When she pulled off a return, bundles of bills in her purse as she drove home. Even though a bleeding man on her daughter's bed was begging for trouble. She chose the risk and she despised, despised, admitting it but she missed it. These thoughts weren't welcome but she had to accept it was not just the money that was holding her to him.

She eventually made sense of the strange feeling she got when Rio told her he didn't care who got him arrested. He lumped the three of them together but he wasn't telling the truth. He wasn't completely apathetic as to who was behind his arrest. It wasn't something he expressly gave away that night, only an uneasy twitch in her chest. She wasn't sure what to make of this and tucked it away. Bills arrived in a steady stream and she put them in a box, hidden away in a shelf in her bedroom closet. She prioritized them in an Excel sheet. Typing the companies' names and adding up figures helped her think she was taking action.

She needed to ace her next job interview and before that to cast her job search net wider. Money would only get tighter. Back when she was raking money she had sat down in front of a financial consultant with her second earnings. She ended up investing in both short and long-term portfolios. But she needed time to get results.

A sobering thought tapped her as she emailed prospective employers, drove the kids to school, as they had dinner, and they told her about their day, as she laid on her couch with her eyes closed at the end of the night. It wouldn't be a matter of waiting for him. Forget that. With growing dread she considered the unwelcome thought that she'd need to find him. Even if he wouldn't want to see her. It's not like she got the chance to make her own contacts in the brief time she worked for him.

Would it be worth it though, she asked herself, as she color coded her bills from highest to lowest priority. She'd usually return to a similar answer – no. Look at where it had gotten her. Why would it end up differently the second time? No, the right, the safe choice would be to find a legitimate path out of this financial slump.

* * *

 

Finally a job prospect came up that seemed promising. A sales position over the phone. Car insurance. the joke was certainly not lost on her. She shared the news with Annie and Ruby. Under the dimmed lights Beth found her courage. She gulped the last of her bourbon and shared what happened the night that Rio came by.

"And you'll tell him no when he gets back." Ruby said slowly. Beth looked into her glass. "Beth."

"Last time he came to my house with a gun." Beth folded her arms together.

"And he asked you to shoot him." Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose. "If he wanted to hurt you you wouldn't be sitting here." She leaned towards Beth. "We're finally out. We're safe."

"Selling insurance?" Beth sat back in her chair. "This – this is what I was meant to do?"

"You do that for a few months, you go for a supervisory position..." Ruby's voice trailed.

"I don't remember you applying after I told you about it."

"I'm this close." Ruby measured an inch with her fingers."Especially if I have to find a place of my own."

"That's what Stan wants?" Annie asked.

"I don't know what he wants. He's not talking to me again. Maybe it'll come to that." Ruby's eyes clouded and she sipped her tea.

"It's not. Would you forgive him, if he did that, if he did what he had to to save your child? With time, would you forgive him?" Beth asked.

"He's a cop," Ruby shook her head as a tear fell down her cheek. "You said it. He'd never-"

"It's his daughter. We don't know what we'd do until we face that choice. I don't blame you." Beth looked at Annie who nodded emphatically at Ruby.

"Would you forgive your husband?" Ruby asked Beth.

"Those two situations are completely different." Beth lowered her eyes.

"I mean, would you forgive him if he did what I, what we did?"

"Yes." Beth paused. "I'd be hurt. That I could've lost him because of what he'd done. But eventually I'd understand." She nodded.

"Let me take a look at that job ad," Ruby pointed at Beth's phone. "What about you? You have something to say?"

Annie made an incoherent sound with her mouth and looked between the two. "I think that you should hear him out."

Ruby took the phone from Beth. "Money blinds."

Annie threw out her arms. "What?" Annie asked. "A conversation. A public place. Totes safe."

"I'm sorry, were you not the one who fished one of these," Ruby gently shook the phone in the air, "under a splintered man?"

Beth's thoughts wandered as Ruby and Annie went back and forth. She'd thought about this all before. She got up to wash her cup deciding to cut herself off alcohol for the night. She'd have to wake up early tomorrow and the last time she drank a bit too much she had a headache that accompanied her all morning.

"Ruby," Beth turned around from the sink, trying to change the topic. "What do you think about the job?"

"You've done sales before, right?" Annie motioned at the phone, asking to see it.

Ruby shook her head before stopping. "Actually I did. Clothes store. I don't know what's better, that or serving cranky customers." Ruby cradled her head in her palm and passed Annie the phone.

"They're all cranky." Annie scrolled down the job ad. "But I'm sure you'll get all the ones who're loaded with the snazziest cars." She added quickly. "You know, the ones who work for Rio. Let me tell you about a cranky customer-" Annie started before launching into a long incident at Frugal.

It wasn't the easiest task to take on, but Beth tried to move forward each day away from the life she left behind. Despite the lure of money she hoped he'd not reach her. That he'd accept she was more trouble than she was worth. After all, wasn't she? She felt absolutely vindicated in throwing Rio's keys in his face at first but as weeks passed she felt some regret. That wasn't who she was. He had just pushed her over the edge. In between not thinking about him, in between not wanting to see him, she thought about what he'd want from her. What he was doing. When he'd come back.

* * *

 

A plate of baked bread between them, Beth chatted with Jenna, a vivacious mom friend she'd made over the last year. Jenna had three kids close in age to Beth's own four. Emma kept apart from the mayhem, sitting near the two women's' feet and playing with a tower of Lego.

"When can I watch TV?" Emma said as she added another level.

"We're watching a movie after dinner. Why don't you play with Mark and Julia?"

"They're boring!" Emma picked through her Lego pieces.

Beth and Jenna shared a smile.

"When's the interview?" Jenna drank from her mug.

Beth picked up her phone absentmindedly. "Thursday."

"We can practice if you want." Jenna set her mug on the counter and picked up the remainder of her pumpkin bread slice. Beth smiled.

"You've already prepped huh?" Jenna asked.

"I found this site, it gave you 30 of the most common interview questions-"

"No, you didn't." Jenna took a bite of the bread.

Beth nodded.

"I should've guessed… But how do you practice 30 questions?!"

"I didn't go through the whole list." Beth put her palm up and laughed. "I just want to be ready." Truth was that she was more excited to prepare for the interview than about the actual position.

"You can probably interview them yourself," Jenna set her hand on the empty plate. "All done?"

Beth's phone buzzed. "There's more in the fridge." She grabbed her phone and smoothly slid off the kitchen island chair.

On her way around it she glanced at the screen. She found a message from an unknown number that said: "Back yard in ten minutes." Her heart skipped a beat. She'd have to get that under check, she thought, knowing intuitively who was behind the message. It had been three weeks since she heard from him. She was OK, she thought. This would calm down once this thing with Rio was sorted out.

She set the phone down before opening the cabinet door, then closing it and opening the fridge, grabbing the bread pan and setting it near Johanna. She then turned around to grab a knife from the drawer.

"Everything OK?" Jenna asked, holding her hand out for the knife.

Beth passed it to her. "Yes."

"I've been getting bombarded with volunteering requests from my kids' school." Johanna said, cutting into the bread.

"You don't have time?" Beth asked with understanding.

"More no motivation than time. A lot of crafting projects."

"Those are fun."

Johanna made a face. "Once they get older and more into sports I'll be into that. Practice, I'll be there."

"I just remembered something." Beth took another glance at her phone's screen. "I got a delivery dropped off in the back again. I'm gonna go grab it. I'll be right back."

"No problem," Joanna smiled and sliced into the bread.

"Can I have some?" Emma piped up.

"You'll have some with dinner. Be careful with your Lego so we don't trip over it, OK?" Beth said, feeling a little breathless as she stepped by her daughter. In the past she wouldn't have let her daughter play like this in the dining room. The kids had their own play room. Ever since Dean moved out, even though it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but try to make up for the commotion in her children's lives.

Rio had said ten minutes but she suddenly needed to get a bit of air anyway. Beth stopped at her reflection at the door. Her hand went to her hair and she fixed a few wayward red strands before she shook her head, chastising herself. She pushed the door open and shielded her eyes from the bright sun. Rio leaned against a tree, typing on his phone. He only looked up when she stood in front of him.

It was like a bird took flight in her chest. She was surprised and embarrassed at this response. Come on, she quickly justified her giddiness, why wouldn't she feel her spirits lifted at seeing him? He may have been a legitimate intimidating and threatening figure, but through him she got financial security that brought her life back from crisis. She felt something else too, something vague without shape that she felt when she last saw him, but she didn't left it, wishing it to diffuse in the air between them. She forced the smile she felt down.

He pocketed his phone and pushed himself off the tree and focused his eyes on hers. She found no warmth in his face.

"I'm here to collect." He said matter-of-factly.

It flooded back like it hadn't taken a break. The tension that, despite the nearly tangible distance she felt from him at this moment, drew them closer. The underlining tug and pull that she always preferred didn't exist thickened the air around them. It hit her so hard it nearly made her nauseous.

"How did you know I'd be here?" She tried to return his grimace.

"It's three thirty on Saturday. Where else are you gonna be?"

"Out with my kids," she said.

"On your new budget? Figured your finances may have dried up lately."

He didn't seem to take pleasure in saying it but they felt like a dig nonetheless.

"What do you want?" She squinted against the sun, preferring not to look at him. Preferring the discomfort.

He stepped to his left, blocking the blinding rays.

"I gotta run an errand." He looked away and back at her. "I need a cover." He pointed his chin at her, talking in a tone that made it sound like it was all a nuisance.

"What do I need to do?" She asked, already anticipating that drawing details from him would be like squeezing water out of a stone.

"It's not gonna be hard, sweetheart. Just help me look legit." He tried to hide it but his lips nearly curled upwards. Her shoulders loosened a little.

She couldn't resist asking. "Why me?"

"You want back in?"

"Yes." She said too fast, already the image of herself digging through cereal boxes for clean bills flashing in front of her eyes. And like that, she felt her steadfast reluctance crumble.

Rio's earlier comment about her tattered finances – maybe he was counting on it when he came over. She had talked to him a few times about how she needed the money, like during the shutdown. His eyes brightened a little at her answer but she barely saw it.

"Then you'll do it." He said.

"Why aren't you taking someone else?" She crossed her arms. Asking him what she really wanted to know – if this situation was unsafe, how unsafe it was, would likely bring unclear answers if any at all.

"Cause no one else owes me like you do. And you're probably not gonna get as much attention as someone else would."

What did that mean?

"Someone like me can always use someone like you." He added.

She shook her head at him, still bewildered.

"Lilly Mrs. Beaver-" he spelled it out, "and you and I go back if someone asks – tracks less attention while I handle my business."

She nodded in understanding though she was now confused for a different reason. Was she the only suitable candidate for what he had planned?

Rio seemed to have a different conversation going on in his head as he looked over her body, her light peach blouse and form hugging jeans. She almost didn't catch it, lost in the reluctant acknowledgment that she wouldn't say out loud. That the danger she may have been taking in doing this didn't do enough to detract from the allure of Rio's offer.

"It's gonna be an overnight trip so you might want to shack up your kids somewhere."

She shook her head quickly. "Overnight?"

"A few nights."

"I can't tell my husband- I can't just tell him a few nights."

That wasn't completely true. She could. Dean owed her. But she needed to know for her own sake. Rio scratched his chin like her question bothered him. Like he wasn't used to being asked that many questions. As if he hadn't dealt with her before.

"Three nights." He rolled his shoulders.

Beth tilted her head. "This is a big favor." She said with little a doubt in her mind that she was already resigned to agree to this.

"It's a big debt." He gave her his wide eyed, raised eye browed mock harmless expression.

"What if – what if I don't do it?" She asked, bracing herself to him snapping back at her.

He smiled, looked down, then behind her. "It's a sweet house you got. Be something to stay here. Your neighbors probably wouldn't like it-"

"You'd take my house?"

He shook his head. "Nah. You'll get another job. But you'll be out for good after."

She thought of her kids. Annie and Ruby.

"I'm saying, you'll probably be straight after you sell your house." He said. "At least for a bit."

She didn't respond and Rio started to back away from her.

"Wait," she said.

He stopped and she walked towards him.

"Where's this place? That you're running your errand?"

He gave her an address and made her repeat it back to him.

"Bring something nice too, yeah?" He said. "May have to dress up one night."

His advice half registered as she processed the address. The street name rang a bell. Was it-

"Kean's Marina. We're going sailing?" She asked.

"Not exactly."

It took everything not to roll her eyes at his tight lipped routine. She shook her head.

"It's not far." He said and this time it actually sounded like he tried to reassure her. "You can leave your passport behind. Your phone will still work to check on the kids you won't stop talking about. Be there on Thursday at 2 in the afternoon, yeah?"

"This Thursday?"

"That a problem?"

Only that her job interview was on Friday morning. She had already needed to reschedule it once before. It had taken so many applications, cover letters, and resumes to get there. Ruby was right. If she'd get it maybe she could climb up the chain. So far regular life had faithfully waited on the sidelines. Go ahead, she could almost hear it say as it glanced at its watch. Go ahead, but I can't hang around here forever.

Oh, but the comfort of counting out dozens and dozens of washed bills. Granted Rio wasn't promising her any money for this job nor guaranteeing her to get her foot back in. But if this did work out she could take out all the bills stuffed in her shoe box. Keep the roof over her children's head and provide for them. She was running out of time. If it didn't work out and she wouldn't be able to work for Rio again… Well, what were another few days before regular programming resumed? Not to mention she'd still owe him one with no chance of getting anything back.

"I'll be there." She nodded, painting the address he gave her to memory.

Appearing pleased he was done, Rio made his departure. She took in his swagger. It was hard not to envy the confidence he seemed to carry with him that she'd say yes. He really had no doubt?

It'd be the first time she'd be away from the kids for so long. She'd need to try to reschedule her interview as soon as possible. Her dad had traveled occasionally. She just didn't imagine him leaving for whatever it was she was going to do. She hugged her arms as a chilly breeze swept through the back yard. She hoped she didn't make a mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/18/2018 -- Light editing for grammar and flow


	2. Chapter 2

“Shhhh. You’re going to wake up the kids.” Beth hushed Ruby as the latter shook from laughing. It had taken her a while to get all her kids to bed that night. She did prefer Ruby’s response to a tight lipped glare and chastising, but she suspected that was barreling in right behind the chuckles.

“No, no,” Ruby held her stomach as she tried to slow her breathing. “You got out, you were safe. You have an interview in three days.” she pointed three fingers in the air. “And he doesn’t gets you back not with threats... No, you stroll right through the door with the bright label that says ‘crime’.” Ruby swirled the wine in her glass. “She’s serious.” She said to Annie.

"Whatcha gonna wear?” Annie’s eyes shined.

"Annie.” Ruby pushed the glass away from her lips.

"What? She needs the money. I need the money. I haven’t heard you saying medical bills stop rolling in after a transplant.” She added gently. Ruby lowered her eyes for a moment.

“I’d do it in a second.” Annie snapped her fingers. “They’ll get on some love boat, she’ll cover for him--”

“Whatever that means,” Ruby tilted her glass at Beth.

“Make it look like he’s an upstanding guy, whatever,” Annie waved off Ruby’s comment. “In and out, she’s done. And we’re back in.” She finished with big smile and raised her index finger. “Right in time too, cause I can’t be held responsible for my actions if Boomer gets out of line again.”

Annie rarely brought it up but Beth knew Boomer’s attempted assault left a lasting scar. She was sure her sister preferred to quit but didn’t see other options.

Ruby gave Annie a "some help you are” look.

"What? She rescheduled the interview already, OK? Right?” Annie nudged Beth.

"Yes.” Beth said.

"See?”

"What? What is that face?” Ruby asked.

"I had to schedule it for next month.” Beth clasped her hands.

"What? Why?”

"They do it in time with the training schedule.”

"Just one more month.” Annie said. “No biggie.”

Ruby tapped her forehead. “Am I the only one who understood the lyrics to this song? Guy gave you a gun. Asked you to--” she mimicked a gun being shot. “Himself! Of all people—”

“It sounded more of a ‘me or Dean’ situation to me.” Annie said.

“Dean!” Ruby’s eyes widened as if she had just remembered him. “Who your good friend beat up.”

"Slick gangfriend. He beat--” Annie slid her hand in the air. “Me to it.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

"You’re saying I was safe like he didn’t say he was coming back that night.” Beth said. “I wasn’t completely out.”

“He gave you a choice.” Ruby said resolutely.

"Some choice.” Annie said. “She owed him a job. So do a job and get zilch? If she’s gonna do something, she might as well get something out of it.”

Ruby sighed into her drink. "Get what, the possibility he takes her back, on a whim? And she’s not babysitting his cat. It’s a _three_ day trip doing lord knows what. Four days.” She corrected herself.

"Maybe the fourth’s not a full day.” Beth leaned to grab the whiskey bottle. “Anyway, I can’t see him as a cat person--”

"OK stop it both of you. It’s been more than a month since we got paid. Like paid,” Annie stressed the last word. “Sadie’s not staying with me but if I want a real chance at getting her back I gotta start working on padding a nest for her. Her school fees alone.” Her voice trailed off. “Right now I’m – well I’m broke and you two can’t be doing much better. Am I right?” Annie glanced between Beth and Ruby. “Being broke was good while it lasted. Sign me up for getting back in gangfriend’s good graces.”

"Doesn’t any part of you think this is a bad idea?” Ruby asked.

"No.” Annie put her hand at her hip and shook her head. “I mean, if I was doing it maybe it would be. Who knows what I’d get into. But this is responsible Beth. Don’t be such a downer. Maybe she’ll even have fun. If I were her, I’d be flattered.” Annie added, mischief in her eyes. “I mean, we know he wants it, right?” She peeked at Beth.

"Excuse me?” Beth asked as she poured another drink.

"You. With your clothes off. On top of him. Or under him. Probably both.” She winked. “Or maybe-”

"Annie!” Beth said, relieved she was able to keep her pouring hand steady.

Annie raised her hand in defense. “Out of everyone he knows he invites you on an overnight trip. We haven’t met any of his lady friends, but you can’t be the only respectable woman he knows.” 

"This is a business proposition.” Beth resisted pointing her index finger at her sister.

"Oh yeah,” Annie nodded slowly as she leaned hr arms on the counter. “He definitely wants to get down to business with ya.” She rolled her shoulders and arms.

"Stop it. You look like a jellyfish.” Beth said.

Annie laughed as Ruby shook her head slowly.

"What?” Beth asked.

"Just be careful.” Ruby said.

"What--” Beth said before deciding not to go down that path with her. She turned to Annie. “You need to take down your fantasies a hundred notches down.” She settled on raising her index finger at her sister from the glass she was holding.

"Mmmm, it’s not me.” Annie gulped her drink. “That’s all gangfriend.” She smiled tauntingly.

Another comment from her sister about how long it’s been since she had sex was right around the corner, Beth could tell. Sure, she noticed how Rio looked at her sometimes. All right, often. Even that night when he pulled her outside she saw flickers of it.

It wasn’t just that, was it though? There was something more, she thought, as she gulped her drink. The time he’d given her, Ruby, and Annie more fake cash and told them they delivered. His surprise when she pushed back at the warehouse. He had called them bitches more than once but she had seen his respect for her grow in the short time they worked together. She’d have to galvanize on his respect to remind him that she was reliable and worth rehiring. 

He had to consider her to be a potential asset. That had to be the reason he asked her to help him. Even if he’d checked her out a few times, she was obviously a safe choice for him to take along Someone who wouldn’t be a distraction. For her, anything beyond business, any attraction was something that was best left alone. Attraction was fleeting and at the end of the day, Rio didn’t trust her and she didn’t trust him. Even before she thought he put a hit on their lives her relationship with him had been consistently tense.

She hadn’t forgotten the terror that shook her when he grabbed her neck and pulled a gun on her. Going by their last meeting his fury at her still lingered. For her part, she’d think she had let go of her anger at him until she’d remember how he’d broken up with her. Business ties, broken business ties with her. Instructed her to go home with the thought that it was only a matter of time before he or his men would be after her, Ruby, and Annie, to finish them off.

* * *

Wednesday night careened its way as the week sprung forward. Beth had planned on having some family time and brought cards and a few game boards out to the living room. Emma wasn’t in the mood and she preferred to lie on her stomach and play with a game that Jane had decided she was too old to play.

"I wanna play Go Fish.” Danny grabbed the deck.

"Mom said we could play Monopoly first,” Jane patted the game board.

"That game takes forever.”

"Where are you going?” Jane asked.

"Business trip. It won’t be far,” Beth said. She wasn’t lying exactly. She wasn’t sure where she was going.

"Is dad going to stay at the house?” Emma asked.

"Course he will. This is his place too,” Kenny said. “Mom, is dad going to stay?”

"He will for the weekend.”

Kenny looked down at his cards. Beth felt guilt as she looked at her son. Her kids missed their dad. Despite that, it wasn’t fair for them to live with two parents whose relationship was in tatters. She and Dean would find a way for him to be present in their lives.

After a few games were played after all, including Monopoly and two rounds of Go Fish, a few kids’ arguments diffused along the way, showers taken, and children tucked in, Beth sat down with a huff on her couch. She could finally take a shower but first she wanted to text Annie and catch up in a chapter on her book. A week ago she had stopped on such a cliffhanger. As she leafed through it she couldn’t remember which character was in danger and which one was after the next clue. She skimmed the pages more carefully trying to refresh her memory.

Buddy padded over and snuggled at her feet. The clock’s ticking echoed in the living room and her thoughts slid from the book, taking her outside her living room. Thoughts of bills, of lies, of betrayal, kept fighting their way into her mind trying to carve a handy slice of her attention. She closed her eyes and drew a picture of sinking her legs in a hot spring. Her kids splashing around her. Happy and safe. She returned to the image again and again as darker thoughts tried to pull her back to a valley of distress. She saw herself lean against the stone, feel the sun warm her skin. Back in her living room, the comforting tranquility of the night hugged her like a blanket.

"Sweetheart.”

Opening her eyes, she quickly made out Rio standing in front her. Buddy stood at his feet and Rio knelt down to pat his head. Shaking its tail Buddy happily went on his way.

"What are you doing here?” She blinked, sitting up, feeling her pulse quicken. She was going to see him the next day, she remembered. She’d fallen asleep. Her mouth was dry and instinctively she looked for a glass of water on the empty, brown coffee table.

"I needed to give you this.”

Her head pounded. She had fallen into a deep sleep.

“You didn’t answer your phone.” He continued.

Her eyes focused on an outstretched arm. She took a plastic card from him and took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. Her eyes swept over it quickly before she looked up to Rio, only for them to fly back as something clicked. The only familiar detail on it was her own photo.

"Alanna Becker?” She read the name aloud. “A fake ID?” She turned the card over mindlessly. “How did you get my picture?”

"Facebook.”

Impressive work, she thought, as she flicked her thumb over the card’s thickness. Whoever made it managed to find a decent photo of her as far as IDs went. But what did she need it for? Her curiosity piqued only to belatedly feel concerned that her first response wasn’t alarm. While she thought she massaged her neck, easing it out of the uncomfortable position she’d fallen asleep in. She caught Rio’s eyes resting on her hands before he tore them away and returned to her face.

"Do you get a fake one too?” She set the card on the table.

He tsked at her. “I’m cool, don’t got to worry,” he non answered. It was her grogginess, she was sure, that was making his voice weave in more slowly.

"I should know what to call you at least, right?” She asked.

He nodded. She leaned her back against the couch and waited for him to speak and wasn’t unnerved when he predictably didn’t. She was too tired to be irked at his refusal to talk. She’d find a few names to call him if she couldn’t use his name – and there it was. Like she’d be too exhausted to not be irked by his reticence. Still, as much as it pained her, she’d have to follow his lead.

"One more thing. You talk on the phone,” he said. “You don’t tell anyone what you’re doing, yeah?”

“They’ll know less than I do.” She said with a little attitude.

"Nothing,” he repeated. “To no one.” He raised his index fingers to indicate upstairs.

She snickered a little, unable to stop herself.

"Something funny?” His eyes narrowed.

She recognized the sharp tone and underlying threat under it. She stopped laughing, picked at her pants, and though it wasn’t his business and she didn’t want to tell him, she looked up and said plainly, "Yeah, that my husband’s going to know anything about this. You noticed I’m sleeping here and not upstairs?”

"What, you in the doghouse?” Amusement unmistakably sneaked in his eyes as he looked between her and the stairs. In small moments like that, she thought, that he turned on and off without notice, but where he wasn’t the hard boss, he seemed approachable, almost friendly. Like when he had commented on the crispiness of potatoes in his omelet.

She managed a small chuckle. “No. He’s not staying here and we haven’t talked about much lately.”

"Musta done something to get kicked out of his own house,” He rubbed his chin.

Yes, after he treated it so well, Beth thought bitterly. "He crossed some lines he shouldn’t have. Let’s just say that.”

Dean wasn’t even the reason she fell asleep on the couch, at least she didn’t think he was until that moment. Rio continued standing, not making himself comfortable but not seeming to be in a hurry to leave either. Still curious about the weekend, she couldn’t be blamed for trying to make use of it.

"Do I need a story with this too?” She lowered her eyes to the card.

"If you want. Less you say the better,” He said.

Wouldn’t he know all about that? She could count on one hand, if that, the details she knew about him. What she figured out between the lines.

"It’s for your safety.” He added.

"OK, good, cause I wasn’t worried before you said that,” she looked away. She couldn’t help it. His concern baffled her a little.

"You can use your old ID on the trip.” He put his hands in his jacket’s pockets.

Beth nodded.

"But you can’t check in with it.” He shook his head, playfulness slipping into his eyes.

That was enough for her. She got up, yawned, before remembering to pick up the card. Rio didn’t move from his spot as she walked closer, ready to walk him out. As she neared him that familiar, low buzzing started humming from her stomach to the rest of her chest.

"You need a ride?” He asked.

She shook her head. "I’ll get there. Thanks.” Talking about her safety, offering her a ride. If she wasn’t so exhausted she’d probably ask him if he hit his head hard on something, but she wasn’t in the mood. She’d take it. 

A few seconds later Rio was gone and she was drowsily grabbing the banister as she headed up the stairs. If it wasn’t for the ID card lying on her bedside drawer when she woke up she would’ve been sure she had dreamt him.

* * *

Morning errands bustled through with last reminders to Jane and Kenny of their after-school activities. Beth’s heart stung as she said goodbye to her children, comforted by a long hug from Emma. The kids were all set through Sunday, their dad coming by and Annie promising to help out with a couple of errands as well. Before Beth got a chance to properly sit down she found herself driving to the harbor with Ruby.

"You know, you have his number,” Ruby looked at her side mirror, “in case you had a last minute change of plans. Maybe your ride got lost on the way. Which way is west again?” She dramatically shrugged her shoulders.

"Funny. I’m not standing up a business deal. OK, deal to possibly get back in business. Anyway, I was just thanking you in my head for not telling me to change my mind.”

Ruby smiled thinly back at Beth. "You know I’m going to worry about you. Alanna.”

Beth regretted already catching Ruby as much as she did but of course she’d confide in her best friend. "You have plenty on your mind. Even with having someone to talk to. You’re seeing Judy today right?” Beth crossed her ankles.

Ruby nodded. “Not tonight. Sara’s playing at 5:30.”

"Stan coming too?”

“He can’t make it to the game.” Ruby sighed. "Yeah, Judy’s amazing. I couldn’t choose a better therapist. I should’ve sent you to her after what you told me--”

“It’ll be fine. It’s only three days.”

"Four,” Ruby dutifully reminded her.

“Three nights, OK?”

“Exactly. It’s more the nights I’m thinking about anyway--” Ruby glanced at her rear-view mirror.

Beth stretched her legs."You’re channeling Annie now?”

"That’s my job. To channel her when she’s not here.”

"That can’t be. You’re too responsible for that,” Beth jabbed at her sister which wasn’t fair as she wasn’t there to defend herself. “Listen, nothing like that will happen between Rio and me.”

"I didn’t mean that… So much.” Ruby ignored the look Beth shot her. “Shady deals go down at night.”

"Please. Shady deals are just as likely to go on at lunchtime. I’ll be safe.” Beth promised, knowing it was made out of sheer stubbornness. Ruby made noises of disagreement as Beth picked up her purse and started fishing for tissues. “I’m not turning back. Not just for me, for all of us.” 

Ruby nodded sadly. “I know. I wish you didn’t have to.”

Beth’s sense of self-preservation would agree. Radio filled the silence that fell between the two friends. A new song started and Ruby changed the station. Beth smiled. Ruby thought the song was played much too often.

"Look, you don’t really think something would happen--” Beth said. “Between Rio and me?”

Ruby drew a thin line with her mouth.

"Please.” Beth entreated, ready to list the reasons the idea alone was ridiculous.

"Just be careful.” Ruby echoed a previous statement and glanced at Beth. “No, I’m not blind. That’s all I’m going to say,” she said, making it clear with her glance that she had a lot more to say.

"Nothing’s happening between us.” Beth blew her nose. “He doesn’t want anything to happen. And neither do I.”

Ruby opened her mouth like she was going to say something. She took a deep breathe instead. "Yeah. Hold on to that. It’s one thing to have him as your boss but something else? Asking for trouble.”

What if she wanted a little trouble? A small, devious voice tapped her shoulders. Beth unceremoniously pushed the voice out of her mind. "At least I feel better knowing that you’re not worried about my safety, but about me and Rio.”

"He’s not going put you in real danger.” Ruby said confidently. “It’s bad for business.”

"And the trucks?” 

"They were empty.”

Beth shook her head. “They could’ve easily not been empty.”

"He’s in the driver seat with you this time. He gave you an ID so you don’t have to use your real name.”

The comment reminded Beth what Annie had said when she told her Rio made her a fake ID. "I think that’s sweet,” She had said softly, surely remembering the time she had one made for Gregg.

"No, just my real face.” Beth returned to present moment. “And he knows what he’s doing. I have no idea.”

Ruby stopped the car at the light.

“You know what, you’re right,” she put her arm behind Beth’s headrest. “Let’s go back.” She turned her head backwards as if about to drive in reverse.

Beth smiled and pointed in front of Ruby’s car. "Here, we turn left here.”

Ruby eyed her for a few seconds before looking forward.

Once by the harbor, Ruby parked the car leaving space for traffic to drive by.

“Listen, I know that you’re doing this for you. For us.” Ruby turned off the car. “I know all the reasons. But we can find another way that’s not this. Because you’re right. You don’t know what this is.” Ruby put her hands up indicating the dock. “And I don’t know – if this does work somehow, I don’t know if I can get back in. With how things are between Stan and I. Besides that, his job.” She put her hands on her knees and threw her head back. “Even if the money--”

"We’re not making these decisions now. OK? We’ll get this done and we’ll go from there. And you won’t do something you don’t want to do. I was the one on the hook. I suggested it--”

"Don’t get me started on that. We all decided to turn him in. Just because he showed up at your house—”

"I’ll text you once I’m settled.” Beth said before opening her door. “I should be heading there.”

"I expect to hear updates.” Ruby called after her. “Hear me?”

Beth smiled and nodded. "Have a good time at Sara’s game tonight. Tell her to score one for me, OK?”

She walked to to the trunk and pulled out her suitcase. After starting towards the dock she looked back at Ruby and waved. She knew the reasons she was doing this. One of them was waving back at her. With newfound determination, she turned and continued towards her destination.

* * *

The boat looked pristine. At least on the outside, but she suspected the inside looked just as lovely. Boat wasn’t the right word for this vessel, honestly. Superyacht was a better fit since it appeared to have multiple floors. She wasn’t sure what she expected but likely something smaller. She had navigated more foot traffic than she expected on the way to find it. The day was beautiful, bright with a few speckles of clouds, and an easy breeze that kept the weather from getting too hot. Maybe that was why the harbor drew a bigger crowd this afternoon.

Barely any time had passed between Rio dropping her ID card and her arrival to the harbor but still she took a few breaks to practice her name, birth date, and even her fake Wisconsin address. Her birth date wasn’t far off. It was a few years lower than her 42 years and she decided to be flattered by that. If someone would ask, she didn’t have kids. Keep it simple. When she imagined answering strangers’ questions she needed to retrace her steps because she started weaving a personal story that was too intricate. Rio was right.

A short line had formed on the bridge to the yacht and Beth stepped behind the passengers. Finally inside, she stopped at a small reception area. Belatedly she wondered if Rio was going to meet her inside or outside. She pulled her phone to text him.

"Can I help you?” A clerk called to her.

"Thanks. I’m waiting for someone.” She said and made her way to the back of the room where she could easily scan passengers. Maybe Rio was meaning to meet her outside? She reached for her back pocket for her phone but realized she had carelessly thrown it in her purse. She plunged her hand in her purse to find it.

"Darling, you made it.”

Rio sided up to her in his usual uniform of buttoned up shirt and dark jeans. Unlike any other time she’d seen him, he had sunglasses poised on the top of his head.

"Didn’t check in yet, did you?” He glanced at the suitcase beside her.

"Waited for you.” Which of course he’d know. She just about avoided giving Rio a once over, which he didn’t spare from her. At least she could take comfort that a few things had not changed.

“Got your ID?” He asked as they stood in line. She nodded, biting her lip not to bombard him with questions. He had to tell her more now but interrogating him in front of an audience would be a poor decision. A stray thought crossed her mind that if Rio thought it’d stop her from asking questions he’d always make sure they were surrounded by people. Maybe that wasn’t a terrible idea, she thought carelessly, as she couldn’t avoid stealing a glance at his muscular arms. He picked up his sunglasses and put them in his shirt pocket, catching her staring at him.

"Don’t think I’ve seen you with sunglasses before,” She played it off. Just a mindless moment, she thought. It didn’t mean anything.

He opened his mouth when the clerk welcomed them aboard.

“Rio Marquez?” The clerk asked Rio after he passed his ID. Rio nodded. Beth glanced at him before producing her own ID and responding to her new name.

Was that his real name? Did she know even less about this man than she thought? After collecting the keys for their respective rooms, they started following the direction the clerk gave them.

“Is that your real last name?” She whispered outside the clerk’s earshot.

Rio cocked his head. “Maybe.” He echoed her soft tone. Despite his earnest effort to also keep it firm she could hear coyness in his voice. Throes of passengers passed by them as they slowed down their pace. Voices of people meeting each other lifted around them.

“Is Rio even your real name?” She couldn’t resist the question, stepping closer for him to hear her. At the same time he leaned towards her and her shoulder touched his arm. She slid back to put a little space between them.

He smiled at her question, a surprisingly genuine grin.

“You know my real name.” She said when no answer came.

His smile froze, then faded. “I know you sold me out.”

"Yes, you won’t let me forget.”

"No.”

Beth stopped in her tracks. Rio’s eyes turned upwards before he slowed his steps.

"I apologized.” She fixed her purse’s strap on her shoulder. They still spoke in hushed tones but it was harder and harder for her not to lose her cool even though she knew it wouldn’t help her.

"You did? So that should make us good, yeah?” He pointed at her, then him.

It was her turn to glance upwards. "You know, I didn’t invite myself to come.”

“Must be a first.”

"You had reasons to do it—”

"Yeah.” He tilted his head, then shook it. “It’s something, I can’t remember any right now.” He raised two fingers to his head.

He wasn’t going to goad her, she told herself. She needed this, needed to do this job and do it well. She put her palms together. "I’d just like to think that this trip could go a little smoother if we’d focus on what we’re doing, not the past.”

"Good, wanna tell me more about how I should do my job?”

Hardly, when what she wanted to do was reach out her hands and throttle him.

"No.” She shook her head, and taking a breath she tried to take on a more conciliatory approach. “It’s--”

“Rio! You’re already here.” An imposing man, despite his informal khaki pants and wrinkled shirt, walked up to them. Rio kept his eyes on Beth before he turned to shake the man’s hand.

"Christopher, my man, how ya doing?” Rio’s face lit up like he hadn’t just coldly regarded Beth. His expression was familiar. She’d seen him wear it at the warehouse. His professional game face.

"Much better now that I’m here. Glad you could join us this weekend. Looks sunny the next three days, might even be good to take a dip in the lake.” Christopher glanced over at Beth. “And who did you bring with you?”

“Christopher, this is Alanna.” Rio said smoothly.

“Nice to meet you,” Beth took Christopher’s hand. Hopefully it would take her before the end of the trip to get used to hearing her foreign name.

“You didn’t tell me that you were seeing someone,” He gave a strong handshake, winking at Rio and giving them both a hearty smile.

Beth laughed off the comment, hoping she wasn’t insulting him. Inches separated her and Rio, she noticed. Maybe this made Christopher think something was there when it wasn’t. She threw half a glance at Rio as she put more distance between them. “Oh, me?” She said with a smile. “I’m--”

Rio slipped his hand into hers and clasped their fingers together, subtly pulling her back to him. With considerable effort she kept her eyes from blowing wide open.

“It’s kinda new. First trip together.” Rio smiled at him, then at Beth, and squeezed her hand. She tried to hold back the shiver that captured her arms. While he spoke the words lightly she still felt the tension from his body colliding with hers. Familiar tension that she had felt for months between them, even before she betrayed him a month ago. It was only laced with more ire now.

“First trip as a new couple?” Christopher looked between them. “Must be a special one.”

Rio brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. She was, indeed, going to kill him.

"Don’t worry, once we set out whatever disagreements you’re having now won’t be worth remembering.” Christopher winked knowingly and Beth realized he must have spotted the two of them arguing.

“We’ll see you later tonight,” Christopher patted Rio’s back. Rio nodded and Beth smiled what she hoped wasn’t a wooden grin.

Once Christopher was at a safe distance she turned back to Rio, swallowing the icy expression he gave her. It made her feel like he was miles away though he was still holding fast to her hand despite her attempts to remove it from his grasp.

“What happened to me being an old friend?” She again spoke quietly.

“You’re not old.” He lowered his cadence to match hers as his eyes wandered over her form and the tiniest hint of a smile crept to his lips.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” She said through gritted teeth. She tried not to let him get to her but her body responded to the languid movement of his eyes. That needed to stop, she thought, and again tried unsuccessfully to loosen her hand as he kept his eyes on her.

“I went with it. It’s good.” He said like he had understood something and glanced towards the hallway Christopher disappeared into. “We sell it better that way.”

“Sell what?!” She nearly raised her voice.

“That we’re loyal to each other.”

He tugged at her hand and pointed with his head to the elevator.

"I know,” He added sternly and brought his face even closer to hers. “That’ll be hard for you to pull off. But try, yeah?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admitting right here that while I did some research I’m not an expert when it comes to boating. I hope you enjoy the ride all the same.


	3. Chapter 3

He held her hand for the duration of the elevator ride and as they walked down the hallway to her cabin. As soon as the elevator door closed she tried to extricate her fingers from his when he subtly tilted his head at the tall man standing across from them. Reluctantly she relaxed her hand, opting instead to defiantly put some distance between them. A lost battle in such a small space. Sensing her discomfort, she was sure, he drew a little closer and leaned against the wall next to her.

Between wanting to swat his hand away and on a tiny (but honestly, negligible, she told herself) level guiltily enjoying the contact she was left a little confused but mostly agitated. The other man kept his eyes glued to his smartphone so keeping up appearances – and for who, a stranger? – appeared unnecessary. But Rio wasn’t doing it just for that, she suspected. He knew he was getting a rise out of her and that she wouldn’t pull her hand away.

Worst was that she couldn’t even trust her own body, actually finding the contact between their fingers not only pleasing but soothing. It stung a little, she thought while they walked in search of her room, that as these contradicting responses dueled inside her mind he was taking it in stride.

"You know couples don’t hold hands the entire time they’re together,” She said tersely as she stepped after him into her cabin, her suitcase right behind her.

He stopped at the end of the narrow hallway as the door clicked shut. "Was I still holding your hand? I’m sorry, baby.” He said with raised eyebrows and lowered his eyes to their locked hands. In seconds he untangled his fingers from hers.

She brushed past him and set her suitcase by the bed. Obviously it wasn’t that it was him touching her that had quickened her pulse. A terribly long time had passed since she experienced any kind of intimacy with a man. No one could blame her for enjoying a little relief from years of built up loneliness.

The more important matter, she thought as she sat on the bed, was whether she could get through this trip when he was already wearing her patience thin. She’d only just arrived and she was ready for it to be over. Her thoughts were flooded by all the tasks she had been postponing to do, some as recently as last night, and that she’d need to tackle as soon as she’d get back to Detroit. She’d need to update her to-do list when she got the chance so she wouldn’t forget anything.

"Did you plan this?” She took off her shoes and flexed her toes.

Rio had set his bag on the carpet and taken up leafing through the yacht’s binder. Unlike her, who needed to slow down her thoughts to control her irritation at him, he no longer looked as angry as he did at the reception desk. “No. I just go with what works.” He looked up. “Makes your backstory easier.”

She lifted her right foot on the bed to fix her sock. “How did we meet?”

His fingers turned a page in the binder. "My cousin did some work on your kitchen. I gave him a ride.”

He said it so readily she was even less sure he hadn’t planned this all along.

"Two months.” That had been when they first met in her kitchen. “I’m sure it didn’t happen right away,” she said absentmindedly. At least, that’s how she saw their fictional relationship.

He laughed and looked up from the page. “Why? I had to convince you to get with me?”

"No,” she said, intuitively following the movement to her right. She set her eyes at the waves beckoning her from her window. A hazy memory floated of her and her family sailing years ago. Not Dean and her kids. Her parents. Annie. Her dad’s voice lifted from the water’s surface, sharpening the faded picture.

“We gotta agree on something.”

She turned her head back to him. “Hm?”

“If I need to, I’m gonna stay here.” He regarded her. “What with people thinking we’re dating and whatnot.”

“I--” She started to argue and stopped. She forced herself to hold his gaze before looking away, her cheeks warm. The idea he’d stay – she understood what he meant – irrationally made her feel safer. After all, she still didn’t know what exactly she was walking into. If she didn’t have to be alone at night... But at the insinuation of his statement, as if she was a teenager with a crush, she struggled to fight the blush creeping to her cheeks.

“I’ll take the couch.” His eyes danced on her face and it wasn’t possible but the way he said it somehow made his initial statement more suggestive.

“You’re not expecting me to sleep on that in my own room.” She glanced at the love seat and got up, grabbing a glass beside the TV. It didn’t matter that he was standing a few feet away, it felt like he was standing as close to her as when they stood at reception.

“If we stayed in my room would you sleep on the couch?” He asked.

She avoided his eyes as she considered his question. “Maybe. Sure.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t let you do that. Gotta be a gentleman and whatnot.”

“After making sure you put your gun away? Yeah,” She said and instantly regretted it as his face broke into a toothy smile.

"How’re you going to explain that you have two rooms? If anyone sees you?” She asked as she headed towards the bathroom.

He turned his body to her as she passed him. “One room’s for business.” He drawled, letting the rest go unsaid.

She stepped through the tension, and continued to the bathroom where the windows somehow withstood fogging up from the heat radiating from her. She turned on the faucet and filled her glass.

Rio appeared at the doorway. “Listen, I get this got dumped on you. If it ain’t cool with you, I’ll figure something out.”

"And tell him what?” She put a hand on the counter. “We broke up right after we talked to him?”

“It’s no big thing.” He said.

She looked down.

"We just gotta play it up a little,” he changed gears, maybe sensing holes in her resistance.

He was right. It was still early enough to reverse what was shared, even with an offhand excuse. She’d joined the trip with the intention of keeping professional distance and it was undoubtedly easier to do without taking part in this kind of theater. More manageable to keep things under control, she thought as she looked away from him.

On the other hand, she was already acting the part of a different person. How much difference would this make? Not to mention, the air was much lighter now that his mood had improved. If that alone made a smoother path to her ultimate goal, how much could it hurt?

"All right.” She put her hands behind her back. “Sure. I’m OK with it. If you think it’ll help.”

“Can’t hurt,” he said offhandedly. “Dinner’s at six. Probably with Christopher, we'll see. I’ll pick you up.” He glanced at his phone and looked up. ‘Can you take care of yourself until then?”

"Yes,” she said, feeling relieved that she’d have some time for herself. “Is that when you tell me what I’m here for?”

"I told you,” He disappeared out of view and returned to the doorway with his bag. “Make me look legit.”

She sipped her water. "What? What does that mean?” She shook her head. “Spend time with you out there?”

"Simple, right?” He said.

"Seems so.” She tried to find any other clue in his eyes but found none. If he was engaging in illicit activities what did he mean by her helping him look legit? “I didn’t think so many people would be here.”

"You don’t gotta talk to all of them.” He said and she sensed he was itching to leave.

"So is Christopher – are other people here going by an alias?” She asked.

"The people I know are here on a job. I know their business and calling card. Who they go by in their personal life is their own business.”

Beth took a step forward. She was hesitant to bring it up but the cloud still hovered, pushing her to clear the remnants of their not too distant discord. "We didn’t finish our conversation. This won’t work if you can’t trust me.”

"You gotta earn it, baby.” His said in a seemingly easy tone that was anything but. A reminder that despite his better mood at the end of the day she wasn’t on much firmer ground. If not back at ground zero, she thought, as the irritation showing in his face took her back to that miserable night when he told her it was over.

"You need to know why we – why I let the police-” she stopped talking as his eyes hardened. “Why I did what I did.” Her heart thumped.

"Yeah?” He asked.

Tread carefully, she told herself, as she pushed through familiar trepidation at his intimidating stance. "Not to win an argument.” She stepped closer and set her glass on the counter. Rio didn’t budge but his expression, if possible, hardened further. He shook his head and she spoke before he got the chance to argue.

“I don’t want to ignore what happened. It’s not worth it.” She said.

He searched her face. "Fair enough. But not now.” He glanced at the door.

After he left she returned to her window. She believed that he hadn’t anticipated the couples angle. After all, if he’d known and gone through the trouble of planning to give her a fake ID, he would’ve brought up that idea too. She cast aside a few lingering doubts about going through with it, reminding herself that for the end goal, a bit of extra, most likely straightforward pretending, would be worthwhile.

It never failed. She always found it pacifying to let her eyes roam the surface of the lake or an ocean. It’d been too long since she’d been to the lake, though the winter months didn’t give her many chances to seek it out. Every once in a while when the house got too chaotic, when she was being pulled in 10 different directions, and one too many demands threatened to put her over the edge, Dean would walk up to her and give her her car keys with a smile. She’d take a long drive, park by her regular spot by the lake, and take a walk, breathe in the air and listen the water, the only sound she needed to rejuvenate her spirits.

She wouldn’t have minded sleeping for a bit but instead she chose to change her top to a more comfortable shirt and explore her temporary lodging. As she set down the hallway she hoped she wouldn’t bump into Christopher again. She wanted to have a moment for herself.

On deck other passengers seemed to also be drawn out to soak in the sun’s rays. Conversations were peppered with laughter and Beth found the joyful mood infectious. She observed the crowd as she strolled slowly, trying to guess as to who Rio’s other contacts could be. She breathed in the familiar smell of Lake Michigan as Annie’s calls mixed in with the waves. She could almost hear heir mom laughing, their dad joining her. Better that happier times flooded her thoughts. Before the days she was an unofficial go-between for her parents. Seagulls fluttered above her head as she reminisced. She ended up at the bow, catching glimpses of final passengers getting on and crew members making preparations to leave.

Raised voices came from a few feet away, slicing through the cheery mood that permeated the rest of the deck. Two men, who Beth hadn’t noticed, caught up in her reverie, seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument. The younger man noticed her and said something quietly to the older man who lowered his voice and quickly left.

The man smiled at her apologetically and raised his shoulders as if to say “What can you do?”

"Sorry,” Beth said. “I didn’t hear anything.”

The man shook his head and flashed a charming smile. He was handsome, lean with light red hair that was almost too long. “It’s a conversation we shouldn’t have had out here.” He raised the glass he was holding and drank. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

"I just got here,” She answered with a smile.

“It’s just that I take this trip often. We usually get the same crowd.”

Beth considered this. "I was lucky to get an invitation this time I guess.” She realized he could take her warmth for flirting. It was harmless though and she was enjoying it. She’d missed it.

"I’m actually with the crew. This isn’t rum and coke. Promise.” He drew the drink closer to Beth as if for her inspection.

Beth waved her hand. “I believe you.”

“No, really. Smell,” The man insisted.

Beth took a whiff of the drink, smelling no alcohol.

"On a break?” She asked him.

The man broke into a laugh. “It’s a break now. I’m Nathan Stenson.” He put out his hand.

Beth shook his hand and took a breath when she heard herself say her real name in her head. "A-Alanna Becker.” She recovered with a smile. “Please don’t tell me that was the captain. You shouldn’t drive angry probably works for steering yachts, right?” She asked with a smile, referring to the man who’d stormed away.

Nathan laughed. “No, first mate.” He waved his hand. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

Beth wasn’t sure about that but she smiled, putting her arm on the rail.

"Which party are you with?” Nathan asked.

"I could be here alone,” She teased, smiling sweetly.

"Of course. It’s just that this isn’t a solo trip for most.”

As if on cue, a trio of passengers passed them.

“I am here with someone. An old friend.” She said before remembering the feeling of Rio’s hand in hers. “Of sorts.” She added. Her heart twinged as she thought how it wasn’t too long ago that saying she was with someone, married that is, was an answer associated with far less hurt. Even if things weren’t the same with Dean in the last few, maybe even several years, it had been consoling to say it. To be part of a team.

"Is it the kind who has a name?” He asked. She saw him react to something in her face. “Maybe I know him.”

Rio had checked himself in with his own name, be it fake or real.

"Rio.”

Nathan raised his eyebrows in recognition. “Rio? What a good friend to have.” He said, obviously echoing her “of sorts” comment. He finished his drink. “It’s time to face the music.” He looked at the window behind Beth and then back at her. “Maybe I’ll see you around.” He began to walk away.

"What do you do here?” Beth returned his curiosity.

"Second mate. I should remember. You want to piss off someone under you. It’s the other way round that gets you in trouble.” He winked at her.

Nathan turned the corner. Beth gazed back at the water and listened to its rustle. He’d looked at her a little differently once she told him who she was with. A little surprised. Maybe thought of their age difference.

A distinct laughter rolled from across the deck. Something about it scratched the surface of her memory and she tried to place it when it rang in her ears again. Twisting her head, she searched through the crowd. Her eyes froze on the woman whose laugh made its path to her even while she was covering her mouth. It took her a second, but her stomach dropped at the realization. Karin. She couldn’t remember her last name but she had a son who was a friend of Jane’s – or was it Kenny’s, yeah, Kenny’s. Tom, that was his name. Beth quickly lowered her face to the water as she turned her back to the woman and her group. Karin seemed caught up in conversation and thankfully she’d turned before she’d made eye contact. Still, Beth decided to head back inside.

As many passengers as the yacht seemed to hold, how likely would it be for her to run into Karin again? What if she saw her and started asking about the kids or Dean? Beth walked over to the entry way opposite the one close to Karin’s group. Karin did have a loose tongue, that she remembered. She was quick to reassure herself. There were enough people here for her to get lost in the crowd. Surely she wouldn’t bump into her again.

The thought of her kids made her want to call them even though they were still at school. Annie was going to drop by the house later tonight, having offered to pick up Jane and Kenny from art class and baseball practice. She’d call them later, before she’d meet up with Rio.

* * *

Beth wasn’t sure about the dinner’s dress code. Rio hadn’t said anything and fleetingly she wondered what he’d look like dressed up. It wasn’t like she’d seen him in t-shirts exactly. He typically opted for buttoned shirts but it wasn’t like she’d ever seen him in a suit. She eventually opted for something that leaned towards a formal side: A long dress in a rich blue hue. Jane loved touching its soft silk material, Beth remembered as she smoothed it down under her hips.

Rio’s eyes lingered on her outfit so she took it as him appreciating her choice. He was dressed in his familiar wardrobe, though with an uncharacteristically lighter blue buttoned shirt and lighter colored pants. Christopher and Seth, whom Christopher introduced as his better half, were already waiting for them in the dining room when they arrived.

Christopher comfortably led the conversation and came alive whenever he told a story, which was often. Beth figured that this was one reason he and Rio got along. Seth filled in gaps easily and he and Christopher talked at length about their sailing hobby. Pulled into the conversation, Beth found herself speaking more than Rio. While this didn’t surprise her she was a little disappointed. It was going to be more difficult to get Rio to trust her if she knew so little about him. With the chasm of mistrust there anything would help ensure he hired her back.

"Tell her about your Guatemala trip,” Rio kept his eyes on Christopher as he took her hand. It wasn’t the first time he had done it that evening. He tended to do it when there wasn’t food in front of them making it that much harder for Beth to excuse her hand away.

Christopher laughed. "Oh, that’s for another night. Let’s just leave it at mixing business with pleasure didn’t work. At all,” Christopher and Seth broke up in laughter. Food arrived and Beth pulled her hand from Rio’s hold.

Though she usually wasn’t a big fan of lamb, the herbs gave the dish a tantalizing scent and its flavors didn’t disappoint. Halfway through the dish she and Rio switched their lamb and fish dishes, having agreed to share earlier on. She was careful about what she shared about herself though when Seth started talked about water skiing and parasailing she shared her own family’s experience sailing as a child.

"He’s still seeing us tomorrow?” Rio asked once main dish plates were cleared.

"That’s right. Called in my aunt. She’ll have it ready.” Christopher said.

Beth glanced at Seth to see if he understood the exchange, one of a few between Rio and Christopher that she wasn’t able to fully follow. Seth didn’t reveal anything in his face but she suspected it wasn’t the first time he’d heard conversations like this. She expected that Rio and Christopher were talking in code, scattered in conversations of catching up. Or rather, catching up on particularly on Christopher’s side.

"I gotta tell you,” Christopher said to Beth. “I don’t know how long you’ve been together but now that I know that’s the situation, it makes sense… Rio’s usually a bit more focused when he’s not on his own, you see.” He pointed at his head before raising his palms. “It does good for my peace of mind.”

"Have I ever disappointed you? Single or not?” Rio leaned slightly forward.

"No.” Christopher conceded. “Or I should say – after you straightened out the Chicago situation.”

A little tension skimmed the air.

“Take it as a compliment.” Christopher put his arms on the table. “This past month you’ve been on the ball. I still remember the two years you were with Louisa. Nothing but peace of mind... That’s right,” he said, tapping his chin. “You got held up for a minute,” which Beth took as a reference to Rio’s recent arrest. She fought the urge to shift in her seat.

"Were you dating then?” Christopher pointed between both of them as he looked at Beth.

"Yes. It was awful. He didn’t deserve that.” She was playing it up a little, it was true. But it was true also that she felt regret.

“Part of the game, right?” Rio asked no one in particular. “Right baby?” He turned to Beth. Her stomach dropped a little at the bite in his voice. It could’ve been avoided, she thought.

"Wish it wasn’t.” She said and it came out softer than she expected. Rio took a double take of her.

"You never get used to it,” Seth said. “If that helps.”

Christopher took Seth’s hand. Beth sensed some of the shared pain there. Something about their shared connection reminded her of her and Dean. Or her and Dean from years ago.

"I can imagine. You two go back,” Beth said with compassion. Rio took her hand.

"Just a few years,” Christopher said with a wink. "Not like you two. You-- you didn’t meet on the job right?” He asked.

Beth exchanged a glance with Rio.

"No,” she said.

"I like that. Usually we run a pretty tight circle. Sometimes it’s good to step out a little. If Rio trusts you, as a girlfriend, to come here... You should be flattered.”

"I am,” Beth accepted the unexpected compliment, dying to rescue her hand out of Rio’s grasp.

"I’m sure that you’ve straightened him out since then,” Christopher said with a smile. “But it’s true that some things are hard to avoid.” He shook his head.

Beth avoided looking at Rio, not wanting to see the expression in his face.

The waiter stopped at their table and spoke with Christopher. A movement caught her eye and she spotted Karin sitting several tables away. She looked away, focusing back at Christopher, and fixed her napkin, cursing her bad luck.

"Then, look at me,” Christopher said. “I don’t work for the money. I work so I can see the world. So I can live a life of adventure with the man I love. I mean, what’s the most important thing to you?” Christopher asked.

"Family,” Rio and Beth answered together.

Christopher continued talking as Beth kept her face on him before turning slightly and sneaking a look at Rio. She was admittedly surprised. What had she thought he’d say? Money? Security? Based on what she knew of him, it wouldn’t be a big stretch. Who did he consider to be family, she wondered. Did he have children? She hadn’t really considered that but it wouldn’t be unimaginable. He had to be in his thirties.

Beth looked behind Christopher, accidentally catching Karin walking by. Nearly making eye contact, she quickly looked away. She returned her eyes to Christopher and Seth, noticing they were staring at her and that the table had gone quiet. She quickly understood that she had just missed part of the conversation.

"Sorry, what were you saying?” Beth asked Christopher.

"Yes--”

The waiter stopped at their table and Christopher’s attention went to him.

"What’s up?” Rio asked her.

"Nothing,” Beth shook her head. She wasn’t sure he believed her.

"Alanna,” Christopher said as the waiter walked away, “I was asking what you do for a living.”

"Sales manager.” Beth named a big box company in a Detroit suburb. “Electronics department.” She had been ready for that question. After spending so much time in these departments she’d gotten familiar with deals and products, granted far more on the pricier end of the market.

"Alanna knows how to sell. She can sell anything, right, baby?”

"Sure I can, sweetheart.” She said, rolling with his teasing, taking a little pleasure in how Rio’s eyes glinted as she called him by a nickname. This kind of interaction was much more doable than say, their hand holding. Maybe because this way she felt she had more control, was able to keep more distance.

"How’d you end up there?” Christopher asked.

"Guess running one too many lemonade stands got me started.” She sipped her drink. “I like showing people that they want something they don’t have yet.”

Seth leaned forward in his seat. "Christopher has a theory that he can only trust someone who’s worked in sales or food service at least once in his lifetime.”

Christopher looked from Seth to Beth. "I just respect people more if they’ve worked their way from the bottom. Where you need to have your wits about you, humble yourself.”

"I was reading they were letting go of employees in that branch?” Seth looked up and to the side as if trying to remember. “It was a part of a long article about businesses in Detroit.”

"Yes, there isn’t final word on that yet.” She said. She’d actually read a little about that but she’d only had so much time to research.

"Oh really?” Seth furrowed his eyebrows. “I was just reading a few days ago an interview with one of the workers, maybe you know her, um… V… Valerie. Valerie something, started with an H... Do you know her?”

"I don’t think so. It’s a big store.” She said as way of explanation as she cut into her food.

"I’m trying to remember...” Seth glanced upwards. “I swear she said she was in the electronics department.”

"Oh sorry, you mean Leery.” She shook her face and smiled. “Of course. She goes by her nickname so I never think of her as Valerie.”

"She seemed like she was going to put up a fight to stop the lay offs.”

"I hope it doesn’t happen. I’m definitely not ready to look for another job.”

"What would you do if you had to leave?” Christopher asked.

"I’ve always been in sales so I think I’d try to stay there. But it’s always good to keep options open. Who knows, maybe I’d even work for you honey,” she directed her comment to Rio, trying to keep the teasing in her voice. Rio nodded quickly, keeping his face impassive.

Seth shook his head emphatically. "You don’t want to do that,” He shook his head. “I worked with Christopher on a couple of projects – best way for us to break up.”

The table laughed.

"Not because of me,” Christopher leaned back on his chair. “I loved having you as my partner.”

"And I loved staying your partner. So I quit.”

That had been close, Beth thought, hoping her changing the subject was going to keep attention off her for a bit longer.

"What do you say Rio?” Christopher said, clearly continuing an earlier conversation.

"I’m ready to take over the Paraguay project.” Rio said. Christopher didn’t reply and Beth got the feeling that the topic had been brought up before.

“You have no other takers.” Rio pushed.

A thread of tension cut through the air again.

"It’s not my decision.” Christopher grabbed his glass.

"Call your booking agency. Shame to throw it away.”

Christopher sipped his drink. "We’ll see,” he said. “Tell you what. Make sure it happens tomorrow, and I can make a much stronger case for you.”

The conversation continued as Beth wondered what Rio’s relationship was to Christopher. It didn’t look like the latter was Rio’s direct boss but he did seem like a gatekeeper of sorts.

"That was fun,” Beth said after Christopher and Seth excused themselves. At Rio’s quizzical face, she added, “I mean-- they seemed friendly.”

It had been an enjoyable evening overall, the conversation with Christopher and Seth – since they were her biggest conversation partners – flowing easily without returning to Beth’s made up job.

"Expected something different?” Rio wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"I thought-- yes. I don’t know what I expected. I thought you’d talk about business the entire time. And it’s the first time I didn’t see you walk out of a restaurant mid-meal.”

"I got nowhere else to go.” He said and smiled."You did good. Thought quick back there.” He regarded her smoothly and Beth readily accepted his compliment. They shared a look. It was maybe the first time since his arrest, in fact since that awful conversation at the warehouse, that they shared a moment that didn’t have an underlying bitterness to it. The relief in that acknowledgment felt good. She broke the eye contact, letting the moment pass.

As they stood up her eyes met Karin’s. She looked away, nearly stepping into Rio.

"What’s going on with you?” Rio asked and tried to follow where she was looking.

"There’s someone here.” Beth admitted. “Don’t look. I know her. One of her kids used to go to school with--” she paused. “This kid I know.”

"So? Go say hi.”

"I don’t know her – I know her as me.” She reminded him, resting her palm on her chest.

His eyes wandered to the area Beth was looking at. "The woman in the yellow dress?”

"Yes.”

She saw recognition in his eyes. “You know her?” She asked.

He didn’t answer and turned his attention back on Beth. “Is it gonna be a problem?” He asked sharply.

"No,” she said but hint of hesitation slipped into her voice despite her efforts.

"Elizabeth.”

"I’ll handle it,” she said with confidence.

Rio looked like he was making a calculation in his mind. “You sure?”

“Yes.”

His expression grew resolute. “All right. Take care of it. I’m gonna be at 405 suite after nine. Some associates are throwing a small party. Meet me there, yeah?”

“OK.”

"There’s a problem you let me know.” He said curtly.

Beth knew not to argue but wanted to leave him with words of confidence. “There won’t be.”

As Rio passed her she considered her options. She quickly shrugged the unhelpful thought that she wouldn’t bump into Karin a third time. As tempting as it was to try to avoid her again what kind of solution was that? She couldn’t deceive herself that Karin wouldn’t recognize her either. She’d not only talked with her a few times, they’d volunteered together at a fundraiser and ran the same kids’ game station.

All Karin had to do was drop Beth’s name to someone who knew Rio and her cover’d be blown. That it happened with this crowd honestly worried her less than the news making the rounds back home, as she again remembered that Karin enjoyed passing along a good piece of gossip. And who knows, what if the rumor mill somehow made its way to officer Turner’s ears... It was important to keep business with Rio separate from the rest of her life. Maybe she wouldn’t have to say anything about Rio. Maybe Karin hadn’t noticed him.

A hand caressed the length of her arm. She turned, surprised to find Rio, whom she was sure had already left. A haunting kind of pleasure made its way from her throat to her stomach as his eyes traveled slowly from her arm to her face. She met heat in them but there was something else too. Caution. Don’t blow this. She tried to reassure him with her eyes: I got this.

Goose bumps formed on her arms and he nodded. She looked after him as he walked away. He hadn’t even kissed her but in his brief touch there was more intimacy than in any kiss he could’ve given her. It was alarming, how little he had to do to get such a fierce reaction out of her. Not for the first time, she wondered if this game of make believe was the right choice. They’d crossed an invisible boundary some time ago and something about this was unsettling in a way that didn’t she didn’t feel only apprehension about. She could’ve surely anticipated this, in fact she had, and still…

For so long she’d known exactly what each next step involved. And on top of everything she was on her own here. She’d just have to make sure not to lose track of what she was here for. Her eyes stayed on Rio as he made his exit, as if by staring at him long enough she’d cure herself. He turned his head back before disappearing and she met his eyes before pulling hers away. This was just a brief interlude, her and him, she reminded herself. Keep your head on why you’re doing this. She set her sights on the other side of the room. It was time to return to the task at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A holiday treat.
> 
> Thank you for reading and for readers who've commented and kudoed. I so appreciate it.
> 
> See you in about a month.


	4. Chapter 4

Choosing not to press her luck and avoid her a second time, Beth looped through tables and guests towards her destination. Two women stepped aside to let her in Karin’s circle and she smiled at them, quickly focusing her eyes on the woman she was looking for, who was caught in lively conversation. Beth had an inkling that her approach had not gone unnoticed but that Karin was stretching the rope just a little longer.

"Hi there,” Beth called out the next time Karin made eye contact, intentionally holding back from saying her name, wondering if she also went by a different name here.

Karin smiled widely and put her hand on her chest.

"Oh! Look at who’s here. Please excuse us, friends,” she said to her group, hooked her arm in Beth’s arm, and stepped away.

“Thank you for saving me from that.” Karin patted Beth’s arm with her left hand and kept walking.

"Really? It seemed like you were having a good time,” Beth asked, genuinely surprised.

"Oh, it was fine. Just one of them went on and on about his pet, a dog or a parakeet. Couldn’t get him to stop.” Karin stopped and unhooked her arm from Beth. “Whatcha doing here?”

"Enjoying a cruise,” Beth said with a smile. “You know how I love the lake. I have a friend in town so I thought I’d made it a short trip.”

Karin tossed her hair. "It is lovely. I don’t remember the last time I took a few days off. Except you know, you’re never really off.” From up close her green eyes stood out, matching the color of her dress.

Beth thought of taking care of her family. Yes, she could relate. “Very true. Are you visiting someone in town too?”

Karin shook her head quickly and let out a puff of air. “Yes. It’s more of a work thing really. It doesn’t matter that I’m off.” She looked up. “Either home or work always seems to pull me back.”

"Guess I was just doing that myself, I pulling you away from your friends.” Beth angled her head towards the group Karin and her had walked away from.

Karin waved her hand. "Some of us make sure to take the same ride together,” Karin smiled. “That’s why I was a little surprised to see you here to be honest. But then I saw you weren’t alone.” She leaned closer.

"Oh, you weren’t the only one I bumped into.” Beth nodded at the table where she was sitting. “I came here for dinner when I saw an acquaintance here and he invited me to join him and his guests. Lucky too because I was going to eat alone and I actually felt like company.”

“Rio?” Karin tilted her head. “Come on. You don’t think I believe that he’s an acquaintance.” She furrowed her eyebrows.

Of course, Beth thought as she remembered dinner with annoyance. Lying had come so easily that she was confident she had pulled off her lie. But with Rio carrying on holding her hand for what felt like most of the last hour, naturally the resulting picture seemed more than what it was. She had been right then. Karin had noticed her.

"None of my acquaintances look at me like that.” Karin said with a curious smile that Beth had not seen before. “But I don’t have to tell you that.”

Oh. That. Well, sure, it wasn’t like she had never noticed Rio’s heated stares before. Truth was she hadn’t paid much attention tonight, perhaps because she was paying more attention to how Rio kept reaching for her hand. A lot of her attention had also been on Christopher and Seth as she was careful to maintain her made up persona. Not only that, she’d enjoyed their company too, as well as the attention they’d given her, a little different than the kind she’d get from other parents. "So you saw me? You should’ve stopped by and said hi,” she said breezily.

Karin waved her hand. "I was going to and well. I kept getting caught up with something or other and turned out you beat me to it.”

A question had stood on Beth’s lips since she saw Rio recognize Karin and she couldn’t resist asking. "How do you know him?”

Karin pulled out her phone from her bag and turned on the screen. “Sorry,” she said before slipping it back in her purse. “I’ll answer that later. Always on! What were we talking about? Rio. I can’t say I know him real well, but he travels in a few of my circles.”

Beth smiled, thinking back to how Rio’s tone soured when he clocked Karin. “Oh?”

Karin waved her hand. “He’ll catch you all up on his business, I’m sure. So! This means you and your hus--”

"That’s something I prefer not to talk about,” Beth cut Karin short. “With anyone here.” She emphasized the point.

"Oh. So you mean no one here knows that you’re m--”

"No.”

“Not even--” Her eyes widened.

“Only him.”

“Ah. I see,” Karin said. Her eyes cleared and she opened her mouth, closed it, then said, “You know, I never really liked him.” The way she said it made it clear she meant Dean.

"Yes. Well, we make it work--” She said, lying easily, wanting to shut the topic down.

"Something shifty about him.” Karin made a face like she had taken a bite out of a lemon, then shook her hands as if trying to get rid of an unwanted thought.

"I know that this may sound funny but while I’m here – you know me as Alanna Becker.” Beth said, ignoring Karin’s comments. “I checked in under an alias. We’re trying to keep a low profile.”

"Makes sense,” Karin said in agreement. “Alanna. Hmm. Not the most Alanna looking.” She put her hands on her hips as her eyes took Beth in. “But you know what, you make it work.” She smiled. “I always wanted to check in with a celebrity name. You know? Like Shirley Temple. Something with style.” Her eyes shined like she was imagining the moment.

"Maybe next time. You’ll remember that?”

"Sure. Alanna. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. And since we’re sharing, I go by Cara here. I know – too attached to my name.” Karin put her hand on her chest.

"All right.” That was one other person apart from her going by an alias. She briefly pondered Karin’s reason for doing it but thought it was best to stop fishing for information from her for the night.

“Poor Rio.” Karin cocked her head. “Went through a bit of a hard time a bit ago. Right?”

Beth rubbed her hands together to stop herself from crossing her arms. This would be about the right time to make her exit.

"In fact – it was right around the time Kenny mentioned to Tom – you know, at baseball practice...” Karin touched her chin with two fingers. “He talked about his birthday party – I was sorry we couldn’t make it. He said he overheard you and Dean talking about money.”

Beth’s smile turned to stone. Kenny had heard her and Dean talking? She worked so hard to shelter her kids from any money issues. They didn’t need to worry about that. The offhanded way Karin shared the news, too, like it was another piece of titillating gossip, grated her thinning patience.

"He must’ve misunderstood something,” Beth said brusquely to end the conversation.

"My big mouth. I’m sorry.” Karin bowed her head slightly. “Your boy went on and on about his party. It was obvious everything was back to normal. And you here with Rio, that makes sense.”

"Everything was always OK. If that was it--” Beth tapped her foot and started to turn.

"Wait, wait. Listen, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Beth’s mind flashed to Mary Pat. "Why would you bring that up? If you’re accusing me of something--”

“What would I accuse you of?” Karin threw her hands to her sides. “Finding someone to take care of you? Unless... It’s more? He does that too.” Her eyes darkened. “Maybe you’ve got your hands in the business he runs--” She said the word business like it was a hot piece of coal she wanted to throw out of her hands.

"I don’t. And if I did, so what? If you think you could get something from me--”

Karin laughed. “What are you talking about? What, you think I’m trying to bribe you? Please.” She leaned forward. “I do well enough for myself.”

"What I do really isn’t any of your business.” Talking about her kids had touched a nerve. Even if Beth was telling the truth, she was usually more diplomatic in her words.

“It’s not.” Karin quickly agreed. "Sorry about what I said. You always seemed like you had it together.” She lifted her shoulders, then dropped them. “Like no one could touch you. A few months ago I overheard you say to another mom, it was a bake sale or something, how working moms needed to put in their share, that they were leaving all the work to the stay-at-home moms. I guess I took it to heart.”

Had she said something like this? Beth scratched her memory when a moment surfaced. She’d just overheard a mom say that she was missing an important meeting and if only stay-at-home moms appreciated all the extra time they had. It had been a rough afternoon, no, more like two days, that she’d been taking care of no less than three sick kids. All her body wanted was to collapse on her bed without even bothering to cover herself with a blanket. No energy left in her bones she needed to take out her distress on something.

“You’re right,” she said, “I did say that. Whatever was going on wasn’t even about them… You. I always thought you had it together.” She said, still cross over what Karin had said, but upset at herself too that she wasn’t able to shield Kenny from what was was going on.

Karin laughed. “Someone benefits when we resent each other, and it’s not us.” She pursed her lips. “I may run a big mouth but I hope that you’re being careful. It is none of my business. But. Love can make you see things, or not see other things, and well. With what he has his hands in… It makes sense to be careful.” She waved at someone behind Beth. "I’m heading out. You don’t have to worry, Alanna. I’ll keep this to myself. Oof, that wasn’t easy to say.” She smiled and rolled her eyes. “I will. After all, you’re covering for me. Have a good night.”

"Good night.”

Karin was a character, no doubt, but her concern seemed genuine. If only she knew the risks Beth had already taken – no love involved.. The terror that had nearly immobilized her as she drove the truck. Risk came with this work. Her tongue tingled with the urgent desire to kick back a drink and she glanced at the bar, already tasting the clean taste of whiskey over her tongue. She took a step forward and then swirled around towards the exit. She’d wait until meeting Rio. Presumably some alcohol would be nearby. Something else took priority first.

She had to make a quick choice when talking with Karin. Either selling her and Rio as a romance – ha! – or share they were in business together. If the news of her and Rio dating somehow made their way to Agent Turner – well he already had fodder for it. As for Dean – let Karin make up her own stories about her and her husband. She’d just have to pay the price if Karin decided to share her story back home. There was no going back now.

Guilt weighed her heart down as she thought about Kenny overhearing her and Dean. If he knew, did he tell the other kids? But if he’d told his siblings one of them would’ve surely approached her. Or at least gone to Dean who if nothing else would do his best to put the kids’ concerns at ease. If that was the case, though, she would’ve hoped he would’ve told her. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to believe he’d hide it thinking it was for the best. He had done it before. They’d definitely need to be more careful when talking about finances if there was even a chance that the kids were around.

She’d make time to call Dean before continuing to the suite. As she walked out she pictured herself putting her doubts about Rio in a box and leaving it behind in the dining room. The second thoughts she’d felt when he touched her were just a moment she had to get through. Karin’s words were brushed aside. As an employee it was much easier to make prudent decisions and that’s what she was aiming for here, nothing more.

* * *

Beth scanned the suite in search of her fake boyfriend. Light bulbs tangled above in an intricate design and cast an intimate light over the guests. The space was filled to the brim with huddled, well dressed groups. This wouldn’t quite be what she’d considered a small party, she thought as she tried to make use of her height, even though the space wasn’t very large. Soft music played from a mounted loudspeaker. She brushed through the guests, searching for Rio through the throngs of people.

Her conversation with Dean had been short. Kenny hadn’t talked to him, he said, and he offered to test the waters since Beth wasn’t there, insisting he’d be able to smooth the matter out if needed. She trusted Dean to talk with their son but she would’ve wanted to have the conversation herself, perhaps to also assuage her guilt in person. Despite the fact that she wasn’t to blame for the mess they’d found themselves in the first place. If she was managing the finances for the kids at the moment, she told herself, Dean could take care of this.

Finally she spotted Rio in a corner. His features relaxed, she couldn’t hear his laughter in the cacophony of the room but could imagine it as if she was standing in front of him. Though it wasn’t the first time she’d seen him like that, not even the first that evening, something about his mirth gave her pause.

It wasn’t only that she had been so familiar with him displaying irritation more than any other emotion. Take dinner. As casual as some of it was, he was operating in business mode. Sharing little, if anything, about himself that was personal, and regularly finding opportunities to bring up or discuss business. He hadn’t acted intimidating exactly but tension lurked around the corner between him and Christopher, sliding under some of their conversations and keeping the air from clearing completely. She had not noticed that tension when she was first introduced to Christopher, probably so focused on what was coming her way from the man who was holding her hand. It had actually been a little comforting to see a little conflict between Rio and another colleague.

In contrast to how Rio had carried himself earlier he seemed fully at ease now, his shoulders loose and stance laid back, and he was actually moving his lips for longer than five seconds at a time. She had little doubt he was discussing anything related to work. It may have been the first time she’d seen him like that and she had to fight the urge to smile.

Oh, but there it was, she thought as her eyes honed in on the person across from him. She’d been so caught up with Rio she hadn’t noticed who he was talking to. An attractive woman stood across from him with long, curly black hair whom, if she had to guess, seemed to be in her twenties. While they both stood several feet away from her she could almost see the light in the woman’s eyes as she grinned at him. It wasn’t exactly unsettling to watch but something about it--

"It’s driving me crazy. Stop laughing. It’s been weeks and I keep having to redo the lining.” Maybe I just don’t have the right fingers for it.” A woman’s voice sounded beside her, her pitch elevated above the rest of the chatter in the room.

All right, Beth thought when she made no move towards Rio. She was staring. Who was he talking to? They seemed friendly enough but she couldn’t tell if they knew each other. Like it mattered, she scolded herself, even if the only reason she cared was curiosity. Go over there already.

"I’m not doing this by hand. That’s why I got a brand new machine. But these stitches are just not coming out even.” The woman near her continued.

Granted it was a little hard to tell with Rio what was professional and what wasn’t. He made a mastery out of tittering across boundaries. Like in how his eyes skimmed her over even as recently as this trip, how months ago without hesitation he’d suggested she tell Turner she and him were hitting it, in his words. And what about with Ruby and Annie, he--

"How long am I going to have to work it, you know?” Faintly Beth still heard the woman’s monologue.

– OK, so he hadn’t exactly made the same gestures with either of them. But come on, of course she wouldn’t be the only one. At this thought the woman laughed and placed her hand on Rio’s chest.

"Could be the tensioning. You may need to adjust your tension dial. Or it could be the bobbin.” Beth turned to the monologuing woman. “Maybe you didn’t thread it correctly. Could also--” she swallowed the rest of her sentence as she realized what she was doing. A voluptuous, pretty, short framed woman met her words with raised eyebrows.

“Sorry, you weren’t talking to me.” Beth took on a sheepish expression as her eyes glanced between her and the man standing with her.

"No,” The woman said and exchanged glances with the man standing with her. “Do you make clothes?”

"I’ve made a few. So I know a thing or two about it.”

The woman studied Beth carefully. "You use a sewing machine?” She finally asked.

"Yes,” Beth replied, answering the next question with the brand she used.

"Lara told me to get that one,” the woman said to her companion.

"Which one do you use?” Beth asked. “I’ve used a few different models and the one I have isn’t the only good one out there.”

A familiar presence washed Beth’s senses and immediately she knew who was standing behind her. She knew even before the man’s chest met her back and her eyes lowered to his arms circling her waist. She glanced sideways and found Rio smiling at Mia as he hugged her comfortably like it was the most natural thing to do in the world.

"It’s good to see you,” Mia said to Rio with a smile.

"You too. Hey Mark,” Rio smiled at the man standing beside her. “Hey, baby.” He finally said to the woman he was cozying up to. She was fairly sure the other two didn’t notice, but she saw under the playful eyes that sharp, biting edge he brought to each and every of their interactions, one that was ostensibly missing a moment ago as he stood across the other woman. Even with his hands on her and his smooth voice she felt it. It made it hard to breathe easily around him.

"Hi,” Beth said, turning her face back to Mia. She felt his lips graze her cheek as he gave her a peck. She jerked her face in his direction, perturbed – wasn’t it enough she was enveloped in his arms – almost forgetting that he was just playing a part. Lingering was an aftermath of a stab of – not exactly something she’d call jealousy – but remnants of whatever disquieting feeling had dusted by her a few minutes ago, as irrational as it was.

She found him inches from her face. His eyes slipped to her lips and back up as her stomach closed up. Before she could think, say something, pull away, he closed the gap between them and his mouth met hers. His lips were warm and they rested on hers, pulling her to him, lingering a moment too long before pulling back. She looked away, her heart thumping in her chest, stifling a whine in her throat. The back of his fingers brushed her turned cheek as a wave of warmth traveled from her head to her toes. She exhaled and smiled easily at Mia.

“Congratulations on making it,” Mia said to Rio and lifted her glass, the man next to her doing the same. Thankfully neither of them seemed to take their exchange as anything other than couply affection even though she’d definitely been caught off guard. Beth heard the underlining meaning in her comment too. Rio being out of jail. It wasn’t surprising, of course, that people in Rio’s circle had heard about it. As when Christopher brought it up, she felt a familiar mixture of guilt and self righteousness.

“Count on me,” Rio said and Beth felt his eyes on her. As she forced herself to stay put and not put distance between them, he lowered his right hand from her waist to her hand and captured it in his. She couldn’t help tensing her arms, the memory of his lips on hers flashing behind her eyes. This is just a bit of playing, she reminded herself. She could do this. Just a couple more days.

"You met Alanna?” He asked in a soothing voice.

"We just met. Your girlfriend was telling us about the art of making clothes. I’m Mia.” She smiled at Beth.

"Mark.” The man next to her said.

"Pleasure to meet you both.” Beth used the excuse to withdraw her hand from Rio’s and shake their hands. The moment she returned it to her waist, though, he found it again.

"We good?” He asked her.

"Yeah. I handled it,” She said and held the smile he gave her in response.

His eyes were deceptively warm, melting her carefully constructed defenses just a little. Even if he was playing a part of a boyfriend, a touch-happy one at that, he fell into it effortlessly. It was a little hard not to fall into his eyes, hard now to imagine she hadn’t noticed how he looked at her earlier. Even if it made sense. That wasn’t what she was here for. But-- what would it feel like if he’d move those warm lips on hers? If she had the chance to kiss him back? Would his fingers feel like a feather’s touch? Or would he dig his fingers into her skin, kiss her until she couldn’t breathe?

"So what do you sew?” Mia asked.

Rio and Beth straightened their heads towards her.

"What?” Beth asked, shaking off her errant thoughts.

“Are you a seamstress? You have an etsy store or something?” Mia asked.

"No,” Beth said. “I mostly sew for my k– friends. Mostly friends’ kids. It’s more of a hobby.”

"Did you teach yourself?”

“Yes,” Beth said. Rio lifted her hand and kissed the back of her palm. She fought to mirror the fond smile he wore, one that frankly threw her off kilter. It didn’t get less confusing when he touched her and honestly, it would just be best if he stopped. Despite this apprehension, she couldn't resist leaning into him, surprised to find the comfort of his weight against her back comforting.

“It took some time.” Beth returned her attention to Mia. “It took me weeks to really get the hang of hemming pants and skirts.” She skipped the part of how young she was when she started doing it.

“If I had the patience to learn how to do that,” Mia said to Mark.

"Mia’s too busy working to take time off to stay still in one place.” Mark said. “And actually commit to a hobby.”

"I could do it on the plane.” Mia flipped her hand over.

"I thought that was when you slept.”

Another man approached the group and whispered something to Rio, who squeezed Beth’s waist before letting go.

"Excuse me,” He said to the group. “Be right back, darling.”

She breathed a little easier as he stepped away, staunchly ignoring any other response to his departure, like a bizarre desire to pull him back, to finish what he had started minutes ago.

"Sorry, we’re usually not like this in public,” Beth apologized for the PDA.

Mia laughed. “It’s all good. It’s cute. Gotta love the honeymoon phase.” She shook her shoulders playfully.

Beth laughed her comment off. “So what’s this sewing machine that’s giving you trouble?” She asked, swiftly falling into conversation with the pair, talking about Mia’s sewing projects, crafting, and art. Arriving again at the topic of traveling, Mia and Mark exchanged stories of hiking in Argentina. Beth had visited Canada a few times, once as a child and later with Dean and her kids, most recently with the girls, though that last trip hadn’t been exactly for pleasure. She’d also traveled to Chicago and Texas but it hardly compared to the global trotting Mia had done in the last ten years. It fascinated her to listen to her stories. She’d felt comfortable staying close to home but Mia’s enthusiastic tone reminded her of the exhilaration in exploring a new city.

When Mark brought up his daughter, she caught herself biting her tongue a few times. She was mindful of withholding most of the details about her personal life, but when the topic of kids came up their names were in her mouth.

"There’s Dina,” Mark raised his face to his right. “Finally made it. I’ll be right back.”

"When’s Rio’s announcing his new product?” Mia asked as Mark stepped away. “He’s been going on and on that he’s been busy sweating over something but hasn’t been giving us any hints or anything.”

Beth smiled and shook her head, surprised Mia brought up Rio’s work so openly.

"I think I’m on a need to know basis,” she answered more easily than she expected.

Mia smiled like she’d heard that before. “Don’t take it personally. His women don’t always get real involved in what he’s doing. Usually they have their own thing or they’re not real into it. If he brings them on these trips. Lately it’s associates who come with him.”

How many of his girlfriends had he brought with him, Beth wondered. She tried to imagine the kind of woman Rio would be attracted to, would be intrigued by long enough to pursue a relationship. If any of the women she’d seen him speak with tonight fit the bill – just a thought coming from sheer curiosity, of course.

“That’s all right, I’m not so interested.” She flashed a smile and put a hand on her chest.

Mia pursed her lips. "That I don’t know if I believe. I don’t know if he’ll tell you what he’s doing. I got a feeling that he leaves a lot of us guessing. But it’s obvious he’s into you,” she said coyly, and for a second Beth was sure it was Annie standing in front of her.

“I mean, he’s, we, we just started dating, so --” She stammered. “Thank you,” she finally said.

“It is.” Mia repeated matter of factly. “When he spotted you across the room. I saw him. He didn’t take his eyes off you until he got here.”

Beth smiled gracefully. Mia probably saw Rio enraptured in conversation with the woman he had been with, noticed her staring at them, and wanted to take the sting off.

"Wanna drink, baby?” Rio sided to Beth. She braced herself for him to grab her hand but he didn’t, only stood real close. The whiplash between relative ease she felt when he was away and tension at his proximity made her feel like a ball in a tennis match. Somehow she’d forgotten she’d already wanted a drink when she was standing by the bar earlier that evening, so caught up that she was in chatting with Mia and Mark.

"Yeah. I’ll have a whiskey. Clean.”

"Mia?”

Mia tilted her glass slightly. "I’m fine. Rio. Do we finally get to see what you’ve been working on this weekend?” She tapped her glass with her fingernails.

Rio put his arm around Beth’s waist. “Count on it.”

"About time.”

Rio smiled. "I’ll be right back,” he whispered in Beth’s ear. She relaxed her face and smiled at him as he let her go. Finding him flirting with another woman earlier was a good reminder. Comforting even. This was just a game. A temporary set up. She’d get her old income back, he could keep doing whatever it was he was doing before and she’d wisely put this weekend behind her and return to pick up the pieces of her personal life. Latter of which would be far less easier to do if she was able to manage her bills.

Her phone buzzed. She checked it and found a message from Annie asking for a call. It wasn’t about the kids, and she was sorry to bother her, it wasn’t like it was an emergency, but she just needed to talk with someone about something quick. Beth excused herself and stepped out into the hallway looking for a quiet, secluded spot. She guessed whatever was going on had to do with Sadie. Better that than something going on with Boomer. As she was about to turn the hallway she heard steps behind her. She twisted her head to find Karin had caught up with her.

"Something came up.” Karin said. “I need to talk to you. Now.”

* * *

 

Had Karin changed her mind? Decided to try to blackmail her after all? Keep your house in order, Rio had told her. She wasn’t the newbie who’d given in to Mary Pat – speaking of a headache if there ever was one. She and her girls still had to deal with her. Financially or mentally she couldn’t afford another Mary Pat. She prepared herself to respond as she followed Karin to an empty area by the hallway.

"What’s going on?” Beth asked. Up close, she now saw Karin’s face had lost its color.

Karin looked out in the hallway. "I have a message. For you to pass along to Rio,” She turned her attention back to Beth and clasped her hands. “I need ten minutes of his time.”

"OK.” Beth pointed in the direction of the room she’d walked out of. “Well, he’s right there, you can--”

"No.” Karin shook her head. The playfulness that usually accompanied her tone was missing. “I already tried. And well. No, he’s going to need to be convinced to talk to me.”

"And as his girlfriend, you think I can do that?” She asked, thankful she didn’t trip on the word but barely holding in her laughter.

"You also do business with him. Don’t-” Karin raised her palm to stop Beth from speaking. “I have friends here too. All you need is one to tell you what’s up.” She briefly closed her eyes. “I personally don’t care what you’re doing with him. I’m saying it to say, you know he doesn’t trust anyone and he doesn’t give second chances.”

Beth dipped her head slowly, not able to not think of herself. Hopefully he does.

"It’s about the deal he’s doing this weekend. If he wants it to happen, he should talk to me.”

That caught Beth’s attention. "Why don’t you tell me the message and I’ll pass it along?”

Karin shook her head. “My colleague wants me to talk with him directly. You understand.” She lowered her voice.

Colleague. With all she had to say about Rio’s business, Beth wondered what dealings Karin was involved in that she wasn’t revealing. "You told him this, and he still didn’t listen?”

Karin shook her head.

"I’ll talk to him.” Beth said.

“Good,” Karin said with tense eyes. “Make it happen. It’s in his best interest.” She raised her chin. “And yours.”

A chill ran up Beth’s spine. “What do you mean?”

“I know I told you that I’d keep what you told me a secret, but I have too much on the line. If he doesn’t help me, I can’t promise to keep my mouth shut. Look,” she waved her hand, “Whatever’s happening between you and your husband – that’s your business. I won’t say anything to anybody about that. But if you prefer that your suburban neighbors not find out that right under their eyes someone’s engaging in less than legal activity, well, you’ll help me. I’m sorry,” she shook her head once. “I have to look out for my own.” She said, and began turning away.

"I can expose you as well,” Beth said. “Whatever you’re doing here isn’t only legitimate business is it?”

Karin shook her head, only slowing down slightly. “Do it. That doesn’t worry me.”

"Wait.” Beth stepped forward and Karin turned back a second time. “I can get him to talk to you, but I don’t know if he’s going to agree to whatever it is you’re asking him to do.”

Karin fixed her eyes on Beth. "That’s your problem now too."


	5. Chapter 5

"Tell me what happens, OK?” Beth looked down at the carpet. Her mind going a mile a minute, she had taken a few minutes to do a quick check in with her sister before returning to the party.

"Sure thing, jellybean. Are you OK? We didn’t really catch up about you. Kinda went off on my own stuff.” Annie said.

"I’m fine,” Beth said without hesitation.

"You sure? Cause you sound like just like you’d get right before you’d do a recital and you’d get all in your zone.”

"So?”

"Everything groovy?”

Beth smiled. She and Annie had gone through a phase, around the time Beth was 14, that they started using 60s slang with each other. Who knows, maybe they had done it to annoy their grandmother.

"Groovy? It’s far out. I’m at a party so I can’t really complain.” She looked out the window, barely able to make out anything other than her reflection because of the bright room she was standing in.

"Wow. He’s making you work, huh?”

"Bye. Good luck with Gregg. It’ll work out.”

"Good night. Do everything I’d do!”

Beth laughed and ended the call. It was actually comforting to assume her familiar role as the older, wise sister for a few minutes. Annie had lamented challenges in seeing Sadie regularly and most recently trying to arrange to have her over for the weekend. It was difficult managing her schedule with Gregg and his wife’s who each had their own commitments to work around. Beth listened and gave her two cents, thinking about how she’d manage herself when talking with Dean if their separation would… Well, last. She was sure she was done with him when she had found out he had faked cancer. After everything… But there were the kids to think about, and the years they had shared, and, and she just wasn’t ready to make any kinds of final decisions.

She wished she could go into detail with Annie about her conversation with Karin but she remembered Rio’s cautioning words not to discuss any specifics over the phone. It made her feel alone all over again. It was her kids. She wasn’t sure she would’ve gotten as worked up if Karin hadn’t brought up the story about Kenny and her son. She wouldn’t have even given her reason to think that she and Rio did business together. If she had denied it more forcefully maybe Karin wouldn’t have gone there, wouldn’t have used it as a threat.

People knowing about her having an affair, real or not, well, if it was between that and people finding out what business she was in… That latter kind of attention could separate her from her kids one day. They were always her first priority.

It’s OK, she calmed her nerves as she walked back to the suite, it’s OK. She could do this. She’d just have to take it a step at a time.

* * *

 

"Sorry,” she said to Rio when she found him, spotting him quicker this time.

"Everything all right?” He passed her the glass. She was all but ready to gulp the golden liquid in one go but she accepted it gracefully, taking a sip.

She smiled. "Yes. I need to talk with you.” She said softly.

"Later. Now’s not good.” Rio looked behind him, his body language jittery. “Can it wait?” His tone a little short he added the question nonetheless, maybe responding to something in her face.

"Sure.” Beth exhaled. She preferred to talk to him now but wanted to be smart about it. His mind was elsewhere and she didn’t want to rush him.

"OK. Cause I wanted to introduce you to a couple of people.” He said, taking her hand.

With Rio on her side, Beth as Alanna mingled with Rio’s his business partners. He may not have introduced them as such but based on their formal conversations she expected that this was the case. More than once either Rio or the other person excused themselves to speak privately. During that time she was left behind with the remaining guests in the small circle or to refill her drink and chat with other guests.

Socializing alone was both easier and more difficult than she expected. It was liberating to meet other people as a different character but she also had to be on guard and be careful each time about what and how much she shared about herself. Rio was right. It was much easier to share less rather than more. To her relief more people than she expected jumped on any opportunity to talk about themselves or if not that, their business. Still, throughout the evening she couldn’t completely enjoy herself, Karin’s words running in the back of her mind.

"You ready to go?” Rio joined her as she was about to excuse herself from a conversation with and Mark and another man whose name she no longer remembered.

"Yes,” Beth said. She glanced at a clock in the corner, surprised at how quickly time had passed. She was ready to call it a night and was definitely ready to talk with Rio.

"What’d you think?” He asked her as they walked down the hallway in the direction of her room.

"Like going to a cocktail party after work,” she said. “Except usually I’ve known people, cause I went with my husband.” Her heart panged a little at the memory.

“You did that a lot?”

"Not that often. Mostly Christmas parties.”

They paced quietly.

“You were busy tonight,” she said, alluding to the many side conversations he’d left her for.

"Some of them I haven’t seen in a hot minute. Had a lot to say.”

That was hard to imagine, unless the talking was done by the other person, and Beth thought of Christopher. A couple strutted by and smiled at them as they reached her room, the guy glancing at them and winking at Rio. Nearly missing it, she avoided sharing a look with Rio, and hoped he hadn’t noticed it.

"I still need to talk with you,” she took out her key.

"All right.”

The air thickened just a little as he closed the door after him and he followed her down the narrow passage of her cabin.

She set her purse on the desk. "You know, now that I think of it, a lot of people talked about their business all night. They didn’t all go into a lot of detail, but some of them did.” That wasn’t the only part of conversation that stood out. The businesses sometimes sounded… Like any business. And she didn’t think they were speaking in code.**

"Right.” He said matter of factly. “That’s what a lot of them are here for.”

"I didn’t expect them to be so open about it.” She picked up her glass and a second one and walked to the bathroom. “Mia asked you about your business.” She turned on the tap and filled the glasses with water.

“Yeah.” He stepped into the doorway. "Some of the businesses are on the up and up.”

Beth blinked. “You mean, they’re legal?”

He nodded.

Beth grabbed the two glasses. "So is that what this is? A cruise where legal and illegal businesses meet?”

"That’s right. Not everyone’s here for that. But those who are work it.. And I wouldn’t throw that word around when I’m talking with them,” he said, and Beth guessed he meant the word ‘illegal.’

He stepped back as she walked out of the bathroom and when he stopped she held out a glass to him. He looked down at it and back to her as if she’d introduced him to a fish with two legs.

"You should have some water.” She said.

He took the glass and set it on the desk.

Men could be such children sometimes, she thought. Fine. "Want to sit down?” She pointed at the love seat and took a few steps away from him.

"Nah, I should-- I should go. I mean, we’ll give it a minute,” he smiled. “Can’t rush some things, you know.” He looked her over.

She ached to touch him. She looked away, uneasy with the uninvited thought and moreso that it came first before say, embarrassment or even annoyance at the insinuation. It’s OK. Just keep going.

"So all this goes on during a weekend trip?” She stalled. It was unlike her not to cut to the chase but maybe the fact a lot was riding on this, her kids’ security, hell, maybe her own freedom, made her not jump into it.

“Yeah. These trips happen all the time. You got informal meetings.” He slid his hand over the desk and took stepped slowly towards her. “And appointments you set up sometimes months before. You know how you asked me about bringing you? Some circles, you wanna make an impression, the light thing works. Like tonight. You pay attention what group most of the people in that suite were?”

Beth went through the faces she had spoken with. “White.”

"You saw how some of them looked at me with you there? It makes a difference to some people. Trust me.” He said.

She went over the night, the conversations she and Rio had with his associates. Friendly or cordial conversations overall. Had it made a difference? Sure. She would’ve expected that the tattoos Rio wore may have frightened off potential business partners, despite his formal clothes. And it could make sense that if she was in the same ingroup as the other business partners, she would be more approachable.

Something clicked. "The business that Mia asked you about. It’s legal?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

What was it, what did he have his hands in? In the same way her fingers itched to play the piano as a kid (once she’d given in and started taking lessons) after she’d take a few days break she wanted to know.

“Everywhere is a potential business deal.” She meant it as a question but it came out as a statement.

“You’re getting it.” His eyes lit up. “What’s going down tomorrow, that’s the major hustle this weekend. But keep your eyes open and you don’t know what other propositions come up.”

A businessman through and through. Of course she had known this already.

"So what did you want to talk about?” He asked.

She put her drink down and squared her shoulders. "The woman I told you I recognized. Karin. When I talked to her earlier tonight she told me she’d cover for me. Then she stopped me at the party.”

"She wanna steal from me too?” Rio cocked his head, his tone surprisingly light. “You and your friends don’t have a good track record with my money.”

"She wants to talk with you. She said she had information about tomorrow’s deal that you need to know.”

His face clouded. "I knew it.” He put his palms together and brought them to his face. “She has something on you. How do you find these women and drag me into it?” He shook his head.

She threw her hands out. “Why are you assuming this has anything to do with me?” His words weren’t a complete lie, of course. But Karin was using it to get to something that had everything to do with him and this weekend’s big hustle, in his words.

“You wouldn’t be talking to me about this if she didn’t know you.”

“It sounded important. For you.” Beth slowed her speech. If she learned anything from being a parent it was keeping an even tone when her buttons were being pushed. “She said she tried talking with you. If it means that your deal doesn’t go through, don’t you want to hear what she has to say?”

Rio shook his head. “I talked to her already,” he said, surprising Beth. “I don’t trust her. She’s a freelancer. She’s not loyal to nobody.”

"She knows,” Beth blurted out. “That I do business with you. She overheard my son talking with her kid about how we were doing better with money and she put two and two together-”

"She didn’t think I was spoiling my girl?” He asked with a lilt of playfulness and it threw her off for a moment.

"No, she-- no.” Not to mention the whole married part, but that Karin had seemed to shrug off. “She took a deep breath. “She said if you didn’t help her – she’d tell people we know.”

“So tell me I’m right sweetheart. Don’t lie to me.” He took another step towards her. “That’s what you care about?” His tone was severe again. “Your cover?”

She clasped her hands. “This can’t get back home. Parents at my kids’ schools knowing what’s happening…” She didn’t find sympathy in his eyes and she should’ve known better but desperation had taken hold. “All right, maybe that’s something I need to deal with. But you can’t ignore this if if this is about this deal you’re running.”

Rio tilted his chin up.

"You have a family too? Right?” Beth asked boldly, meeting his glare face on as she brought the forbidden word up. “You want the job in Paraguay. It sounds like you need to make sure that this deal goes through as much as I do.”

He exhaled, looking away from her. She looked down.

"I do this, you ain’t getting involved.” He said. “You hear me? You don’t talk to her about this no more.”

"Sure,” she agreed quickly.

"Elizabeth-”

“Yes.”

“Just cause she’s your friend there doesn’t mean she’s your friend here.”

Beth hugged herself. “She’s not really my friend. Our kids are friends.”

He looked to the side and his lips crooked upwards. "You were paying attention to the conversation huh?” It was back, a note of a little teasing in his voice. The air crackled around them as something changed in the air.

She wasn’t in the mood. "If you thought I’d just come here as eye candy--” She said crossly.

He barked a laugh. "Eye candy wouldn’t have put me through the ringer like you have, darling.”

"Not tonight, please.” She waved her hand. “Can we take a break?”

She waited for a biting response but it didn’t come. Neither did his expression soften or change. She hadn’t expected him to drop it so quickly. A temporary detente, she was sure.

"Anyway,” she said, wanting to fill the uncomfortable silence and fizzle the tension a little. “Of course I was listening. Christopher and you seemed to be a great fit. He keeps the conversation going and all you have to talk about is business.”

He lifted his shoulders and dropped them. "Don’t got to do much talking with him. It’s like this.” He put his palms together. “You share a little bit in business... You got to. But trust? That’s for family.”

Trust. The word was meant for her, she was sure. But while she heard that, her ears perked up at the mention of the word that’d come up during dinner. She was curious about this, thirsty to learn something more personal about the man outside his gang leader role, or business role. So she could use this, of course.

“You trust people who’ve proved themselves, ones you’ve known and seen them take hits for you. Even then...” His eyes started at the top of her head and traveled lower on her face. “This ain’t the suburbs. I play smart. I trust almost no one.”

"And me?” The question made its way out of her lips even though she knew she could predict his answer.

As she spoke he had brought his hand to her cheek, held it there and caressed a thumb over it softly. Tension showed in his face but there was softness in his touch that he couldn’t mask. His fingers on her skin felt deceptively soothing and, perhaps at this point unsurprisingly, warmth spread from her stomach.

She rubbed her cheek gently against his palm before she caught herself and took half a step away. Rio met it. This wasn’t what she wanted. Or, all right, even if that wasn’t the complete truth, it wasn’t what she needed. It wouldn’t make any of this easier. And that recurring, real issue of trust. He talked about trusting her, but what of her trust in him? When could she stop needing to prove herself to him and when would he do something to have her trust him? She drew her face away more forcefully, her body nearly rebelling at the act, and he dropped his hand.

Still his eyes grew hotter and with each second she wanted to turn around, to step back. To walk out since the other two options would still leave him with her. He stepped closer, slowly leaning down. All she could do was look at him, close her eyes as he came closer, and breathe him in as he pressed his lips to her forehead. His smell was hypnotizing, thick with something she didn’t recognize, but like wet, living earth she wanted to keep digging to get more of it.

“Especially not you.” He mumbled into her skin as he breathed out before pulling away. She swallowed and found her mouth had gone dry. It had physically hurt a moment ago to pull herself away from him. That had never happened before. Her hand started reaching out to him, as if on their own accord, when his phone buzzed. She made her hands into fists and put them behind her back.

She was sure he had heard his phone but he didn’t move. Finally he sighed deeply, stepped back, and grabbed his phone from his pocket, only looking away from her when he held it in front of him. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as he typed.

"I’m gonna have breakfast at 7:30.” He said and pocketed his phone. “I can’t be there long. But if you don’t wanna eat alone,” his voice trailed off.

"Yeah.” She stepped back. “Sure, I’ll be there.”

He seemed about to take a step towards her, changed his mind and headed towards the door.

"I guess I got one more stop to make,” he said.

"Thank you.”

"Yeah.” He tilted his head upwards, giving her a once over, before leaving.

She sat down on the bed as the door closed. Her chest felt lighter now that that he was going to talk with Karin. Once that obstacle was done it would hopefully be a clear path to completing the deal which would help get her one step closer to working for him. Who knows, maybe she’d even be able to help him with the deal itself, though the likelihood of that was the same as her being happy at the car insurance sales job she’d applied for.

She got up, glanced at the glass on the desk, the one she’d given Rio. It was empty. Had their conversation stolen her attention to the point she didn’t register him drinking? She refilled her glass and took out her toothbrush and toothpaste.

If she didn’t have a choice and she ended up getting the sales job she knew she could use the experience she got tonight chatting up strangers. Like she hadn’t had this experience ever before though… But frequently her mingling had centered around parent circles where at least having a child was a commonality. What if because of Karin the deal didn’t go through? It may have had nothing to do her Beth but as she saw minutes ago she was an easy scapegoat.

Once night routines were done she padded back to bed, glancing at the door he left from. Could she be so optimistic that if he agreed to talk with Karin, at least it meant that if-- when-- she worked for him they wouldn’t have to start back up from scratch? They already had some, if not tumultuous, foundation for a professional relationship. It was just a matter of getting back there.

But when he’d touched her. This thing between them. She rubbed her eyes. No. No, it was like a knuckle rasping through her insides. It left scorching marks behind but still she wanted more. Clearly she was losing her mind. He had just told her he didn’t trust her and at least she had enough good sense not to trust him either. Then he had the audacity to expect her to earn his trust but from her he expected to get it blindly. And she didn’t even throw it back in his face, she wanted to touch him after he’d gotten close to her – but she needed him more than he needed her at this point. That was the problem. She had more riding on this so she had to be careful.

At least she could console herself that what this, this pull to him was, that it wasn’t wholly irrational, she. After all this was just attraction and that didn’t need trust. Those passing, if a bit recurring, thoughts running through her head about him, the ones outside the actual reason of why she was here, they were about the allure of a mysterious man whose body she wanted. Years of solitude led to this, her husband’s betrayals, to locking on a guy who had believed in her at some point. To fleetingly feel possessive over him, because now that she was alone she could admit to herself that for a couple of ludicrous seconds this was the unwelcome feeling that had gripped her. Over a man who looked at her like… No, she closed her eyes, best not to dwell on that. He believed in her before, and her stomach warmed at the memory, how she'd felt in those moments. He’d believe in her again. That was it. That was all she needed.

Even if she’d never felt that kind of pull before. The way her body responded each time he touched her. He only just gave her a peck a few hours ago and – She put her face in her hand. What was the point? Even if an impetuous part of her saw the turquoise pool in front of her and wanted to jump head first and give in to her attraction, in the best case scenario he’d be her boss again. She didn’t need to add that to this difficult work.

It felt too soon, even for a fling, which is all this would be. All it could be. Again she had that nagging feeling, that if she was going to look for that kind of comfort, she didn’t want to do that with him. And a relationship, if between her and Dean things didn’t work out – if – well, as much as her heart or mind held no space for it now, an eventual one, was out of the question. She had nothing in common with him. Nothing in common.

"Family.”


	6. Chapter 6

"You’re thinking she needs another scared straight visit to the police department?”

"I don’t know think it stuck last time,” Ruby said. “Maybe she if she gets an overnight stay, she’ll calm down. Or how about the weekend?”

Beth heard the frustration in Ruby’s voice. Sara continued to be in good health but she was also pushing boundaries. Just yesterday she had mouthed back to a teacher but from how Beth took it it also sounded like Sara was standing her ground. If she was pushing certain boundaries it could very well mean she was in fact a very healthy young girl.

It was early morning and Beth had called Ruby on her friend’s way to see Judy. Ruby had caught her up on Sara’s game and her phone screening for the car insurance job before bringing up the latest about her daughter’s behavior.

"I don’t know how you navigate four of these short people in your house,” Ruby said.

"Believe me, some days I don’t know either. We have to remember – she’s also testing what she can and can’t do. She can do it now that she’s feeling better. Remember the fidget spinners? You dealt with it and shut it down.”

"I know. If I think about her doing that or her her lying in bed at the hospital, I know what I’d choose.”

“It’s not one or the other. You know that. She’s always been a good kid.”

“Maybe she just never got the chance to act up before? Now she has this energy to move products and follow bad role models she doesn’t even—”

“You know that that’s not true.”

“Yes.” Ruby sighed. “It’s only that some days, with everything else--” Her voice trailed off.

"Of course. Of course, you’re right,” Beth said softly.

"It’s a good thing I’m on my way to see Judy,” Ruby said. “Otherwise I may have been on my way to you.”

“You’d better. Or on any other weekend.” Beth looked around her temporary lodging.

“So what about you?” Ruby changed the topic. “You were saying you already got settled.”

"Yes, I didn’t do much yesterday. Had dinner, went to a party.”

"Torture.” Ruby said. “That's right, Annie said something about that.”

"Yes. A lot of mingling. Dinner wasn’t bad actually. We ate with a couple. One of them was really chatty. It was fun. He talked about all they traveling they’d done.” Beth smiled. “It was almost like a double date.”

"What? What do you mean?” Ruby asked.

"Oh-- nothing.” Beth said as she realized what she was saying and how it could sound to Ruby. “Just that he forgot to tell me beforehand he’d introduce me as his girlfriend.” She lied, even surprising herself at how easy it was to do.

"He what?” Ruby’s voice cut through the signal.

"Nothing. Forget I said that-- it’s not important. Just playing a little pretend game.”

"It would’ve been good if he had told you the rules of the game in advance.” Beth could see clear as day Ruby’s face as she said that. “Why would he say you’re dating?”

"All right, he – he didn’t exactly plan it.” Beth closed her eyes. What was she doing lying to her best friend? She had nothing to hide. It was just a stupid temporary arrangement and not bringing it up only made it seem like a much bigger deal. “Someone may have assumed we were together.” She looked out the window as her hand tightened a little on her phone.

"Why would she think that? Yes, go ahead, go ahead, it’s not like I’m on the way to an appointment. Now you want to take it back? Please, pass.” Ruby said to someone else. “Sorry, I’m with you.”

"It was a he, and nothing, we weren’t doing anything, we were just talking.”

For a moment Ruby didn’t speak. "You’re sure?”

Beth threw her hand in the air. "Yes!”

"Listen, if something happened, I’m not judging you. All right?”

"I’ve been here one day.” Beth said emphatically as she turned on her heels. “You think in that time I’d –“ Wait, what was she saying? “Nothing happened.” She looked out her window and waited for Ruby to speak. “Are you still there?”

"You want him too. Right?”

Beth didn’t say anything before she realized she had waited too long. “I don’t. I got caught up for a second, but it’s passed.”

"Oh it has, has it? Just now?”

“No, and that’s not funny.”

“OK, OK. Just that I could throw my house through that gap of silence you left behind there. And with you saying double date a second ago--”

“I was joking,” Beth said as she glanced at the spot where Rio had stood in front of her and kissed her. A flush warmed her cheeks and her eyes moved to the wall above her bed.

“Listen,” Ruby continued. “I can understand why you’d think about him like that. He’s an attractive man. Got that bad boy thing going.”

“I’m not – that’s just a part of who he is, I’m sure.” She said, bizarrely having taken up his defense attorney position. But she wanted – she wanted to believe it, didn’t she?

“That’s just the thing. We don’t know him. And what I know of him hasn’t brought out his romantic side.”

This wasn’t news to Beth of course. She’d thought about it herself and more so over the past day. How well did she know him? She caught glimpses, of course, of the man outside the gang. But could one day change everything that came before it?

"You’re giving me a pep talk.” Beth leaned against the wall. “I don’t need one.”

"All right. You can’t blame me. Two months ago I was sitting across from you in your back yard and listened to you talking about how he was the bad guy. Has he already changed your mind?”

“No. Nothing like that. But maybe I could make this work again. That’s why I’m here.”

“OK. I’m just making sure you’re keeping some distance. Sometimes it’s hard to remember. Maybe you’re trying to convince me he’s a good guy to change my mind?” Ruby paused and a repeating clicking sounded in the background.

"No, I know better,” Beth smiled. Ruby had to play it safe. She understood that.

“You know what’s happening today?”

Beth had told Ruby that she couldn’t go into details of what she was doing but the two agreed she’d share if she was feeling apprehensive over something.

"Yes. Should be fine.” Beth shrugged her shoulders as if Ruby was watching her. She recognized that she was speaking with casual confidence as if she had any clue what she’d be doing. Probably more social outings if yesterday was an indication. What she was particularly curious about was the deal that was happening today, to get close to it. Just to see. Not only out of curiosity. To also see if it was something she could do. Not to mention Karin and Rio. That morning she’d woken up wondering how the conversation went between them. She hoped whatever Karin asked wouldn’t be an issue. This she didn’t need.

"You know what I was just thinking?” Ruby asked. “What if there was some kind of job fair you could go to while you’re there? One where you could find a – less attractive employer? And I don’t just mean the obvious way.”

"I could, but what would be the fun in that?”

"OK, now I’m sure I’m talking with Annie.”

"I’m joking.” Beth laughed. “I’m over that – if I was even there,” she said, fairly sure even Ruby didn’t believe her. “Maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea. But they don’t really have those here.”

"Sure. But you can’t underestimate a good networking opportunity. That’s what Judy told m. Maybe find something that’s uh, a better fit.”

“Sure,” Beth said noncommittally. “Too bad I didn’t bring my resume.”

Ruby laughed. “Maybe wait on asking for a reference.”

Beth glanced at the clock beside her bed. "I just looked at the time. I should get going.”

"OK. Talk to you tomorrow.”

"I thought Annie’s shift was tomorrow,” Beth said with a smile.

"You’re kidding. I’m not even keeping up with my shows. This is my entertainment,” Ruby teased.

Beth wished she was next to her at that moment. “OK.”

"Be careful.”

"I will.”

While she was on the phone Dean had sent her a string of photos of the kids having breakfast. She laughed at a few of them. Her beautiful children in sweet poses. They were going out to see a movie today. If they could agree on what to watch – it was entirely possible they’d break into two groups at the cinema.

She texted her reply. The night before she had checked in with all of them except Jane who was at a friend’s house. Kenny talked about what a fun time they were having with dad and asked a couple of questions about what she was doing. Emma was sweet, saying she missed her mom, which melted her heart.

Hearing their voices made her miss them so much. Her conversation with Dean was unsurprisingly more businesslike. Everything was fine and the kids were having a good time. Still, it was hard to stay as angry at him as she was when she found out about his betrayal and lies. Reviewing his list of sins did reignite her ire but it also exhausted her. It would take time for her to forgive him and she wasn’t at all sure what would happen after that. She preferred to forgive than to stay angry. If she didn’t it would end up consuming her and it crush her. Instead she wanted to move forward. That’s what made her agree to separate from her kids for this many days in a row.

She added to her phone to-do list a few chores she’d need to get done the following week that she’d remembered while she was talking with Ruby. The yacht had already docked. She checked on her phone to find that they were at a port several miles south of their starting point.

As she put on her sandals she thought about Ruby’s offhand comment about finding another job. Was it such an outrageous idea? Too bad she didn’t bring her resume indeed. Though even if she’d find out that one of Rio’s legitimate business partners were looking for workers, they’d know she was with Rio. Surely that could get messy.

Maybe that could be good though. Maybe he’d want her off his back? He had been so adamant that night when he said it was over and the way he looked at her – she shook her head at the memory. He’d also come back to her. Oh, what was she getting lost in these thoughts for? He’d come back but she had no guarantee she’d get her job back, she reminded herself. She was fairly sure he himself would say in a heartbeat that things would be easier if she didn’t work with him, and her chest hurt a little at the thought.

No, it wouldn’t be an awful idea to keep an eye open just in case. If she’d be able to connect with something legitimate, Ruby would be much more open to the idea of joining in. Beth was here after all for her and Annie as well as for herself.

Ruby was right about something else. It was prudent to keep a little distance from Rio. She could admit this to herself. Yesterday she’d thought it made sense for him to stay with her in her room at night but come on, what was dangerous in what she’d been doing so far? Going out on social outings? She’d be fine spending the night on her own.

Grabbing her key and slipping it in her pocket she took a last glance of herself in the mirror. Even if a tiny part of her had also agreed to to him staying over because of an equally minute thrill from having him close, what realistically would that even be for? She wasn’t looking for a fling and whatever happened this weekend it’d be either back to business or she wouldn’t see him again. Finding him in the dining room a few tables by the exit, making eye contact with him and feeling a buzz in her stomach, she thought the latter option was more appealing now than ever before.

* * *

 

The breakfast spread was rich and colorful. Beth ate through her omelet, sausages, and fruit as Rio sampled a bit of everything in the buffet. Beth smiled as she surveyed his second helping.

“What?” He asked.

Caught staring, she looked up from his plate. “Sorry. Nothing. I just know two ch– young people who do that. They sample every other item in a buffet.”

He spiked his fork through his eggs. “They know what’s up.”

The bright breakfast room was mostly empty, its energy lethargic and sluggish in sharp contrast to the liveliness of the night before.

"How do you know you’re gonna like something unless you try it?” Rio sipped on his tea.

"I tried everything on your plate.” She said and took a bite of her eggs.

"The arepa too?” He pointed at a round, flat, yellow item.

"The pancake?”

"It’s made of corn. Sweet. Try it.”

"So it’s like corn bread?”

"Corn bread got nothing on it.” He shook his head.

He looked so uncharacteristically playful, like he’d laid down his guard, that she sighed and picked up her fork and edged closer, stopping inches away from his plate. He cut a piece for her and she picked it up, taking a bite of it.

Though he’d told her it wasn’t pancake the sweet flavor still surprised her tongue. She chewed, enjoying the taste. “I like it.”

"Better than corn bread?”

She glanced at the buffet. "Yeah.” She’d totally missed it.

"Your young people would try it?”

"At least a couple.” She pushed her hands against the table, set to go and grab some for herself.

She turned her head back to him as his hearty laugh drew her attention. He had looked like that when he’d laughed with the woman she’d spotted him with last night. She felt uncomfortable as she realized this, unsure why, of anything she could feel, it was that. He dropped the rest of her bitten off piece on her plate.

She sliced into it. "How is – your family?”

He chewed his food and swallowed “Good.”

There it was. Might as well have put up a physical wall between them. Sure, it wasn’t a response she couldn’t have predicted, but at his mentioning of family, twice now, she couldn’t resist saying something.

"I got you doing a job this morning.” He looked to the side, the subject dropped. “Figured it’s better you do something other than running around bumping into more people you know.” He gulped his tea.

She ignored the jab, welcoming the plan. It’d be good to stay busy. She was also ready to get going soon. The AC was on full blast and she was drinking coffee to stay warm.

The question of how his conversation went with Karin hung over them but she predicted with the growing number of guests that he wouldn’t entertain this topic – if he would at all. Distracted by a loud voice by the buffet, she reached for the salt shaker, her fingers meeting his.

He dropped his hand. "Go ahead.”

"Thanks,” She said, adding salt to her eggs.

A few minutes later his phone buzzed. He checked it, scrolling over the screen.

He looked up. "You done?”

Beth looked at her plate. “I was going to get some more fruit.” She pointed at the buffet with her fork.

“All right,” he put his phone away. “I gotta go in a few minutes, so here’s the deal. Antonio’s gonna pick you up and take you where you need to go.”

“What’s--”

“Hold on,” He got out of his chair and she stood up as he did. He stopped a waiter asking that her plate not be cleared, and took her hand. It felt like she’d taken a big sip of coffee, or maybe she was just momentarily distracted from the coolness of the room (that was probably it). They quickly left and Beth followed him to an empty room off the hallway. He closed the door after them and she walked inside, glancing out the big windows that overlooked the hallway. It was cool but nothing like the frigid temperatures of the dining room.

"I don’t need you giving me the third degree out there.” Rio said and let go of her hand. “It’s inventory. Can’t tell you much else, but what do you want to know?” He raised his chin and put his hands in his jacket’s pockets.

"Is it – would it get me in trouble?” She asked.

"Not if you don’t ask questions.”

"You know that doesn’t hold up if you get caught right?” She asked, realizing her tone didn’t match her real concern about staying safe. She also recognized belated alarm that not only that she was flirting, but she was flirting _back_ , matching Rio’s tone. Inventory… At least she wasn’t transporting something this time.

“Too smart for your own good,” He said, but clearly still humoring her. “Anything else?”

“I’m OK,” she lifted her shoulder for a second before dropping it back.

"That’s it? You’re not even gonna try to ask me something else?” He arched his eyebrows.

She shook her head. “No.” She answered coolly, trying to pull the reins on the tension that kept slipping outside her control. She saw fuzzy figures pass by the corner of her eyes. The breakfast crowd was growing and she wondered if the waiter would really hold her table.

"Cool.” He didn’t respond to her tone, smiled and held her gaze. She felt that stab of guilt again. It wasn’t the grin, she realized. It was that they were sharing a moment. Again. And it wasn’t even anything meaningful. It was just – what they had between them which was somehow undoubtedly worse. What she felt guilty for she wasn’t sure.

That’s it, she thought as she broke eye contact. She needed to nip this in the bud. Ruby was right. But first…

"So we’re good, yeah,” He approached her, his eyes mischievous, and for a panicked second she was certain he was going to kiss her.

“One other thing,” she said and he stopped with a look reminiscent of last night’s ‘I knew it.’

She had been strategic in not asking questions about what she’d be doing, hoping that’d translate to getting a break with her next question.

“It’s not about the job.” She said.

“What, Karin?”

"Yes.”

“I talked to her.” He rolled his shoulders.

"And?”

"And I’m working on it.” He said in a clipped tone. “That’s all you gotta know.”

At least something was moving. “OK.” She responded to a movement to her right and followed a guest’s path as he hurried down the corridor. She looked back at Rio. “Listen, if it was because of me that all this happened-- with Karin--”

He gave a dismissive wave with his hand. “It’s done. It would’ve happened eventually.” He stretched his neck. “Just didn’t need it now.”

"OK,” she said.

"All right,” He said, his tone light again, his eyes warmer. It surprised her how he could so seamlessly weave between hot and cold. He started taking a step towards her and that small part of her that ached to give in began to bubble up to the surface--

“Wait,” She said, taking a sharp breath. It didn’t stop him from dipping his head as he stepped closer, his eyes traveling from her feet to her face. Ruby’s words echoed in her ears and they gave her the push to speak.

“One last thing,” she clasped her hands.

“Mm?” He responded to her change in tone and halted his approach. He was still too close but she refused to step back.

“I was thinking that--” she said, “it’s better if you just stayed the night in your room.” She exhaled.

He tilted his head. "Yeah?”

Yes. Now if he could he stop looking at her in that way that spiked her inner temperature by 100 degrees and agree.

"Yeah. I mean, this is complicated enough.” She blurted out in exasperation, immediately wishing she could swallow back the words.

"How’s it complicated?” He drew even closer, drawling stubbornly like he didn’t know exactly what she was talking about.

"Please,” she said sharply. Don’t make me say what we both know.

He shook his head, feigning ignorance.

She steamed, somehow finding it possible not to raise her voice at him. "Because we’re not actually together,” she held out her palms.

In response, infuriatingly, as if he didn’t hear her at all, his hand went to her hair. Her irritation picked up at the same time that her body implored her to step just a bit closer into his touch. The two warring factions, brandishing their swords as they edged closer to each other, were wearing down the last of her defenses.

“Because if we were I’d have to throw you off this boat.” She released some of her disgruntlement as he drew his fingers through the strawberry blond strands, oblivious to the feud going on inside her. She heard it in her voice. A hint of tenderness circling her words and she desperately hoped he hadn’t heard it.

He laughed softly. Her stomach dropped and she forced herself to keep her eyes on his.

"If I didn’t beat you to it,” he said as his eyes wandered her face.

"I get the feeling you’re not listening.” She squinted at him, staying focused, annoyed at how hard he was making this for her. She started pulling her head away from his fingers.“This isn’t real.”

"They don’t know that, sweetheart.”

What about you, do you know? She thought as his fingers weaved without pause through her locks. The way his eyes held hers, his usual removed expression now mixed in with amusement but unmistakably something gentle teasing out. It was enough for her to remind herself in her strictest voice that this indeed wasn’t real. That the look he was giving her now, his hands touching her hair, all that was just for the sake of people observing them. It was meant for the woman he had stood so at ease with the night before, or replace her with anyone else who’d fit him. Not her. Still, mindful of their audience she reluctantly stopped leaning backwards and instead targeted him with her coldest gaze.

“OK.” She said, stopping herself from closing her eyes as his fingers brushed her scalp. “In front of them we put on a show. But the rest of the time, it’s better if we don’t have to pretend.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"OK, OK. I got you,” he finally dropped his hand and took her out of her misery.

He still had that look though. Noise dimmed around them. She no longer heard the chatter of guests on the other side of the windows, nor the clock ticking on the wall. It was like a warm sunny blanket surrounded her. If he’d kiss her right now it’d be for that same audience. And that would be acceptable right? It wouldn’t mean anything, it wouldn’t be real. That achingly familiar pull tugged at her ribs, the one that had never completely went away, and she just didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to step into the water, dip her toes, even if she couldn’t see the bottom.

"Rio?”

She and Rio and turned to the door. A young man stood at the door who Beth didn’t recognize.

"It’s time. We gotta go,” He said. “Now.”

Rio motioned to him with his hand to wait and turned back to Beth, his reserved expression back in place. “Antonio’s gonna call you in thirty minutes to pick you up. You can manage that, yeah?”

* * *

Less than an hour later she was standing in a large warehouse, clipboard in her hand, putting down check marks as she took inventory. Several feet away over a dozen workers were packing small boxes in bigger ones. On the inside the musty space looked as non-descriptive as the warehouse where she and the girls had dropped off the bills after they’d returned from Canada.

She wasn’t sure what was in the boxes and uncharacteristically but prudently she didn’t ask. Once a stack of them were checked against the orders she and another worker moved them aside to be picked up.

The work was monotonous, in some ways not very different from data entry work that she’d done in the past. Would she do something like this for Rio once – or if – she’d be rehired? It wasn’t at all clear if he’d let her and her girls continue to wash money. Thinking of that shoebox layered with bills back home and her kids, the idea of doing this or similar jobs with a stack of cash waiting on the other end, she could make this work.

She’d made small talk with Antonio on the short ride over, introducing herself easily as Alanna. Antonio was friendly and chatty and Beth was glad to listen during the ride.

After what felt like over a hundred boxes later he stopped by and asked to see the pile of remaining orders. “OK,” He flipped through them and took out a few pages. “Finish these five and you’re done.”

"What about all those boxes?” Beth looked over at the people packing.

"We got it covered.” He took the rest of papers from her, giving her back her clipboard.

"I’m not doing anything else. I can help.” She didn’t mind, not having planned to be here for any particular period of time. And if it also got back to Rio that she was staying back to help out, why not?

Antonio looked like he didn’t expect that response. “All right.” He rubbed his chin.

Once she finished the five orders she was stationed between two women who exchanged smiles with her and otherwise mostly kept to themselves. Bursts of conversation took place in Spanish as workers focused on packing. Limited in her Spanish she was unable to understand or participate much and her thoughts wandered as she worked.

Kenny and Jane had tests on Monday that she hoped Dean was helping them study for like he had said he would. As far as math went, Kenny was improving. He may not need a tutor for much longer. Hopefully the plumber made it yesterday. She forgot to ask Dean. Shane wasn’t always reliable as far as timetables went but he did the best work out of the last three plumbers she hired. Ugh, she hoped the final price wasn’t far off from the quote he’d given her.

Packing was as monotonous as inventory but she welcomed the change of pace and doing more manual work instead of reviewing columns on pieces of paper. With its repetitive motions of lifting and bending down again and again the job held its own challenges.

She hadn’t noticed when she started but packing but it had to be about an hour when Antonio came up to the group and called out in Spanish. Workers around her halted their packing and started getting ready to leave, with a few stragglers clearing out boxes. The women beside Beth smiled at her before packing their belongings.

Beth walked up to Antonio. "Time for a break?”

"Yeah, lunch break at Manu’s. One of our guy’s places.” He explained. “We’re gonna get another team to take over.”

"Oh, OK.” Beth said and surveyed the room.

"You can come,” Antonio pointed with his thumb behind him.

"Sure.”

It hadn’t been that long since breakfast but she was ready to eat and happy at a chance take it easy for a bit. Rio hadn’t contacted her and she didn’t have lunch plans. Who knows, maybe the next person she’d meet could actually help her find a new job? Ruby would be proud of her for thinking about this. Imagine, Beth thought. Ruby and Annie holding a safe job as would Beth. Sure, she’d gotten a little addicted to the rush but she was sensible. She just had to remember how terrified she was driving that van. She couldn’t put her freedom at risk. And of course, with a legitimate job, she could put Rio firmly behind her. In other words, she could breathe much much easier, she thought as she collected her belongings and followed Antonio towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It happened again. This chapter ballooned. For this reason I plan the next update to happen in about 2-3 weeks.
> 
> Just a little over a week to season 2. I don’t know if I’m ready!!


	7. Chapter 7

Manu’s house was homey, with soft couches and wooden chairs and paintings in the living room of homes surrounded by vast fields. A grill was started and dishes of rice, beans, and meat were put out and regularly refilled.

The night before the challenge was to mingle in a crowd of strangers as Alanna but here it was a different matter. Many of the guests didn’t speak English and while body language and her high school Spanish came in handy they only took her so far. The result was that as much as the language barrier freed her from needing to pretend to be a different person it also limited her socializing.

Despite the obstacle she felt welcomed by several of the guests, carrying conversations in a mixture of Spanish and English, a few of them wanting to practice their English. She may not have been able to find her next employer easily when she couldn’t speak the language, but she appreciated the company and the break from work. Honestly, even the break from Rio.

Before he’d left he’d cupped her cheek softly. Still keeping up appearances, but, she figured, choosing not to hurry a kiss out of her. The guy who’d come to pick him up glanced between the two of them, his eyes finally settling on her as he waited for Rio. As Rio neared he murmured something, Rio replying quickly, but Beth couldn’t hear either of them.

Beth refilled her plate three times and tried to enjoy the break and not think about how she was missing some kind of action that Rio was handling that right now. Perhaps it was for the best, she said, biting into her taco. When she imagined taking part of a deal, of a high stakes situation, after going through the thrill and high of making each step, she admitted to herself that she wasn’t ready. Not yet. But if Rio offered she’d no doubt jump on the opportunity. That she couldn’t imagine happening soon.

Ruby’s words returned to her mind. Who knows – who knows what opportunities could come up. She should keep her eyes open. It was only Friday. She looked over the back yard where a few adults set up a couple of kiddie pools. Watching the kids jumping into it and laughing took her back to the time her own children would spend hours entertaining themselves like that. A lot of summer days passed by with her being mostly drenched, she remembered fondly.

A plastic ball made its way to her chair and she grabbed it and walked over to the playing children, throwing it at one of the kids who laughed and bounced it on the ground back to her. Quickly an impromptu soccer game broke out between a few kids and adults. Used to playing hostess, it was a treat not to have to worry about the other guests, to get caught up in a game. Not to have to think about clean up.

"You seem to hold your own,” Antonio said when she took a break to rehydrate. “You’ve played soccer before?”

Beth thought about Sara. On her better days her kids and Ruby’s kids played together and she’d gotten dragged in for more than a couple of games. “Not really. Do you play?”

"Don’t have time now, but I guess.” Antonio grabbed a few chips. “Some weekends.”

Beth nodded and poured herself soda, glancing at the players on the grass. “Usually I’m the one who does the hosting. It’s nice to be a guest.” Maybe she could get her kids together for a game of soccer after she’d get back. At least the younger ones. They had that back yard that they really didn’t take advantage of enough. Summers seemed to get shorter – although she certainly didn’t feel that way on more hectic days. But it’d be a good idea to make use of it, particularly before it started getting cooler.

"Know what you mean. He’s been keeping you away, eh? Haven’t seen you at his place. How long have you known him?”

"A couple of months.” Beth said, picking up that Antonio was talking about Rio, nodding at a smiling child. She’d rejoin them in a minute. She needed to catch her breathe. “That’s probably why you haven’t seen me around. You seem like you’ve known him longer.” She sipped on her soda.

"We go a while back, but not like some of these guys. Most of the guys he’s known they’ve worked for him for years. He doesn’t take just anyone. He wants them to know what they’re in for.”

Beth sipped on her drink and raised her eyebrows.

"Hard work.” He said.

"Sure. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see him.”

"Now you sound like my wife.” He smiled. “He’s a good boss. But even a good boss gotta balance his work life with what’s really important.”

Beth nodded. “Sure, but that’s what happens when you’re doing well, right? You stay busy. Sometimes I envy that.”

Antonio shook his head. “Trust me. Sometimes I can’t keep up.”

Beth smiled as she looked away. "Is one of these little ones yours?” She asked, in the last minute changing her question slightly from “which,” a common question at parent events.

"No. Got one on the way though.”

"Congratulations.” Her eyes brightened at him.

"What about you? Got kids?”

"No.” She shook her head, her heart aching that she couldn’t share it. “I’m the babysitter.” She laughed.

Antonio raised his eyebrows for a moment as he poured himself a drink, offering the soda bottle to Beth. “Yeah, I’m doing that now too. Practicing,” He said.

She wondered what her kids were doing now with their dad. She resisted taking out her phone and checking. She’ll check once she leaves or she’d feel even more homesick.

"He’s tough, isn’t he? A good guy, but can he be tough.” Antonio finished his drink and took hold of the bottle again.

“Oh, I know.” Beth laughed.

“Gotta tell you, caught me by surprise that you two were a thing.”

Probably because he looked at her and thought Rio could find someone his own age, Beth quickly thought.

"I mean he always dates smart, pretty women.” Antonio quickly added.

Smooth save, Beth thought as she smiled graciously. How much did Rio tell him about his fake girlfriend? She had no idea, not beyond of the minimal details. Then again, what had Rio said – less is more.

“I guess I didn’t think he had a type but you seem a little more focused than other women I’ve seen him with. Like you know who you are. Not that I’ve known all of them.” He held his drink up before taking a sip. “He tends to date women who’re good in business but usually they keep away from this kind of stuff. I’m surprised he’s got you as involved like he does.”

"I seem a little more focused, huh?” Beth asked, hearing something between the lines. Little did Antonio know – she herself wasn’t sure sometimes who she was. She just learned how to make it seem like she did.

"OK, so I thought you were a little stuck up when I first met you. But you’re cool.”

Beth laughed. Fair enough, she heard Rio’s words echo in her head. After all, it wasn’t the first time she’d heard that comment.

That’s what he had meant then, that Rio’s girlfriends were usually more laid back. She could see it, that would complement him well seeing as in some ways he seemed as tightly wound up as her. Or at least his business self.

"I liked that you stayed back and helped after you were done.”

"Hey, it got me invited to this party.” Beth smiled and grabbed a few chips. She’d definitely need to get some seconds on food before leaving. “You should come play with us.”

Antonio glanced at his phone. “I’m waiting on my wife. Gotta buy some baby stuff.”

How could she camouflage her baby knowledge, she thought, holding back from blurting a few tidbits. Maybe she could say she learned it from being an aunt, she thought, when Antonio spoke again.

"I gotta tell you,” he said, lowering his voice. “He and I look out for each other. I was with someone before and he knew she wasn’t the right woman for me. Now he usually doesn’t talk about the women he’s with. He keeps most of it to himself. But with some of these women, when you ask him about it, he gets this smile. He gets it when he talks about you. You know he got it bad when he gets that smile.”

She hardly believed Rio did a whole lot of smiling when it came to her, not after what had happened lately but regardless nothing seemed to stop her from grinning widely as she heard it. Sure, Antonio was teasing her, as she was sure Rio had brought him up to speed and he was just playing along, but she was tickled at his comment all the same. It felt good that she wasn’t the only one who was kinda enjoying this. She’d felt a bit of a thrill talking about it when she spoke with Ruby this morning. It was probably similar kick for Rio when he told Antonio about the ploy they had going on. Pretend games could be fun – in theory – she thought as she brushed away an errant memory.

One soccer game later, she decided it was time for her to head out. She wanted to check in with her kids and Annie and take a minute for herself. After thanking the hosts and getting her things she returned to the back yard to say goodbye to a few kids like she’d promised.

“Rio!” A kid bounced off the moment he spotted the tall, lean man making his way into the back yard. Beth headed with Javier, her ride, to the back gate, right in his direction, glimpsing Rio hug the boy.

"You leaving?” Rio asked as he nodded to the boy who ran back where he came from. Javier stepped aside, saying his goodbyes to one of the guests.

"Yeah, I need to catch up on some things.” She said, a pang of something touching her chest that she wouldn’t get to stay and spend a little time with him. Snap out of it, she chastised herself.

"I can give you a ride.” He said and if it didn’t pull her back in just a little bit.

"Rio,” a couple of kids ran up to him, one holding on to his leg. Rio smiled warmly, ruffled the hair of one boy, hugging hum, and picked up the smaller one who wasted no time before hugging his neck.

“Come play with us!” He cried out.

"Hug me a little harder, chiquito, and I won’t be able to do much of anything,” Rio said, but hugged the boy closer.

"Sorry,” The boy said and looked at Beth with a smile. Rio spoke in Spanish to the other boy and Beth couldn’t take her eyes off him, couldn’t stop the swelling of her heart at the image of how gentle he was, in a way she hadn’t seen before. He’d seemed kind with his workers at the warehouse but this was a different kind of softness.

"That’s OK, you just got here,” Beth said, watching Javier move to another guest. “How’d it go?” She asked, not knowing what she was asking about exactly, but sure that Rio was handling business while she was at the warehouse. Of course she knew with company Rio couldn’t go into details – if he would at all. Surprisingly she didn’t only want to know how it went. She was also asking the question as a way of asking if he was OK.

Rio nodded, at least giving her the recognition if not the actual words. “I’ll see you back at the yacht.”

Beth nodded. "I didn’t know that Antonio was one of the guests,” she said and smiled at the boy who was playing with Rio’s free hand, Rio occasionally tugging at him to the boy’s delight. “Did he just get here?”

Rio shook his head. “He’s not. He’s just running some errands.”

Oh. OK. So how did he think that she and Rio were – oh, he probably got him up to speed when they spoke earlier.

"He was in Detroit early this week, we made some plans for today. I had a lot going on this morning had only just enough time to tell him to pick you up.” He smiled at the boy he was holding who smiled back. He looked back at Beth. “Why?”

"No, no reason,” Beth said, more confused than before.

"Alanna, you coming?”

Beth faintly heard the call, still thinking about Rio’s words.

"That’s you,” Rio smiled when Beth didn’t move.

"Yeah. Yeah. Nice meeting you,” Beth said to the two boys. The boy Rio was holding held his arms out to her. Beth smiled widely and hugged him. She pulled away, seeing her kids in the child’s face, thinking again how lovely this break was.

"Soon to be you, man,” Antonio said with a wink as he passed them. Rio smiled at him indulgently, before he seemed to do a double take of Antonio’s meaning, and his expression cleared like something just clicked. He glanced at Beth, and in that moment she was absolutely sure he’d said nothing to Antonio about them.

"Yes, well, I’ll see you later.” Beth said, looking away, smiling at the boys one last time, the boy standing next to Rio waving at her.

The sun came out behind white clouds as she followed Javier to his car and the kids’ voices mixed up with the wind. Antonio must’ve heard someone say something. Or she had to have mentioned to Antonio that she and Rio were together. But she hadn’t, she thought as she played back her conversation with Antonio when he introduced himself. She’d just rolled with him. And Rio hadn’t planned this, so he wouldn’t have said anything to him before the trip. So what --

Please. What was she doing, thinking about this? She was being ridiculous. Someone must’ve mentioned something to Antonio at the party. Someone from Rio’s yacht contacts must’ve been there, or knew someone. She shrugged her thoughts and made easy conversation with Javier as they drove back to the boat. More than anything else, she tried not to think of the way Rio looked at her right before she turned and walked away.

* * *

“Are you sure he didn’t say anything? You’re not just saying that but when I see you face to face you’ll say something else?” Beth leaned back in her chair.

"No.” Dean said resolutely. “Maybe I’m growing up. Maybe I learned that it’s better not to hide things from you.”

She wasn’t quite in the mood, but still something about Dean’s tone softened her. "If you talk to him today, tell me what happened. OK?”

"Sure. After I help Jane and him study.”

Beth bit a “oh, you remembered comment,” maybe the most painful choice she’d made all week, she thought cynically. They ended the call soon after that, the kids calling their dad.

After getting back to her room, speaking with Dean and her kids, taking a shower, she sat at her chair by the desk. Her ears half listened to the TV as she caught up on one of her mommy forum threads. Annie hadn’t answered her call and it was a little hard for her to sit still. She set her phone down and closed her eyes.

The silence in her room thundered after being surrounded by people and activity. Dean was going to take the kids to the botanical gardens tomorrow and she could already picture them calling out to each other. Hopefully they’d remember to facetime her. She loved that place, particularly a secluded spot by a pond surrounded by greenery. It had been years since she’d been there. She shook her head at the realization.

It felt good to be the fun parent, she was sure. She closed her eyes, enjoying the silence. But in her call with Dean she’d reminded him him of a few tasks he said he’d do, ones she hoped he’d take care of between movies and adventurous outings, and to her surprise he’d remembered most and even got a few done. She’d even understood the difficulty of getting Kenny to talk with balancing three other kids. She had to give him a bit of credit, then – he seemed to be on top of some things. She opened her eyes. Thinking about giving him credit for anything right now was exhausting and that was exactly where she was going to fall asleep, right there in the stiff chair.

She looked out the window, watching families walking on a boat across the way. She’d looked forward taking her family sailing, maybe once the kids got a little older… There’d be so much more they could do once the kids got older.

She’d been able to calm her mind down after her Antonio’s comment to Rio. She’d assumed Rio caught him up about her as Alanna but clearly he hadn’t. Obviously Rio had been talking with him about a different woman and for whatever reason Antonio had assumed Rio had talked about her. Not to mention she’d played right along. That had to mean that when Rio had spoken to him about her he hadn’t mentioned her name. Somehow that didn’t surprise her.

So Rio had a thing for someone. Her heart stung a little as she acknowledged this. Made sense didn’t it – just because she knew nearly nothing about him – apart from having some kind of family – didn’t mean he didn’t have a personal life. Though she had a hard time picturing him in a relationship. Did he ever talk long enough? She’d had that thought before but still she wondered. Then she recalled his hands on hers and wondered if that’s how Rio kept himself and his partners busy and then she felt her cheeks warm as she took a gulp of cold water. Let’s not think about that.

At least she could enjoy some relief that her slight disappointment in her realization about Rio smiling about someone, or whatever, quickly led to annoyance that she cared. She felt embarrassed that she had enjoyed what Antonio told her, even if it was taking joy in something that wasn’t real. It felt better than this.

Her phone beeped and she glanced at it to see Annie’s text. Beth responded, her thoughts leaving Rio behind, seeing dots move as Annie typed her fire-quick responses. She laughed at a text, appreciating her sister always kept her sense of humor, typing her response back, then waited for Annie to finish typing out her update.

It sounded like Annie and Gregg had gotten into it and it was about time for them to have it out. Beth had this to look forward to, if she and Dean called it quits, she thought. The kids would continue to pull them together. She smiled at Annie’s latest text, started typing a reply back when she heard a knock on the door.

“It’s open,” she said, not turning her head until the door pushed inside.

"You gotta find out who’s out here before you let people in.” Rio sauntered in.

"I wasn’t expecting anyone else.” She quickly typed “brb” before putting her phone down on the desk.

"It don’t matter,” he said. He sounded more exasperated than irritated and though she didn’t want to think that way she found it charming. Anyway, he was maybe right, but she saw it hard to live like that.

"Took yourself a lunch break, huh?” He surveyed her room.

She got up. "Yeah.” She felt a little exposed to have him look her room over. Even on vacation she kept her hotel room tidy, had even been known for making the bed herself on a couple of rare occasions out of a force of habit.

When she’d gotten back from lunch she had wanted to sit back. Now she would’ve preferred to at least put some of her clothes away. It wouldn’t have hurt to tidy a little if she knew he was stopping by. Perhaps locking her room was not such a bad idea.

"Even got a chance to enjoy the pool,” His eyes rested on her body.

"The kiddie pool?” She laughed lightly. Ignoring his gazing was becoming an art form. “Antonio told you? I stayed back too, helped out with some boxes after my job was done.” She said, hearing in her voice that she was trying to impress him.

"Cool.” He glanced at her window and walked towards it. She stepped aside to give him space and he turned his body slightly to her, not taking advantage of the extra space, and a thought about old habits passed her mind as he passed her and stood by the window. People still paced on the boat docked across the yacht.

Beth walked closer and stood at the other side of the window, leaving space between them. “I’ve been watching kids walking there for the last ten minutes. Made me think. I was waiting for my kids to get older, so we could go scuba diving. Have you ever done it?”

“No.” He looked from the passengers on the other boat to her. “You?”

She shook her head. “We talked about it, Dean and I. Then we had kids and we waited for them to get older.”

“At the lake?”

She leaned against the wall. “Costa Rica. Guess it’s looking like we could be going on separate trips.” She’d even gotten brochures one day, a lifetime ago, and one evening they’d gone through them and started laughing about something and couldn’t stop. Who knows what had caused it but it was a fond memory.

"Deal got pushed back,” He pulled her out of her thoughts.

"What?” She pushed herself off the wall. “That’s what you were doing this morning?”

“Yeah.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Last minute change. It goes like that sometimes.” He lifted his shoulders. “No biggie.”

"It’s the main job you came for.” She said, not understanding how he could be so laid back about this.

"You keep paying attention,” he said mockingly. “It’s just postponed.”

Did that mean--

He raised his chin. “About your friend. I’m not gonna be able to help her. Got instructions from higher ups. And you best stay away from her too.”

She didn’t miss the tension behind his last words. “What did she want?” She asked.

He closed his mouth.

She stepped closer. She wasn’t going to back down this time. "Is this why the deal didn’t go through? Because of her?”

Still he didn’t answer. She resisted crossing her arms. “Why am I getting a feeling this a bigger deal than you’re making it? Are you gonna be able to get this done?”

He squared his shoulders. "I gotta. But she wants me to make deals with people I can’t do nothing with. Not without back up. And you best remember you work for me, no one else, if you want a shot back in, yeah?” He said again, a barely veined threat. “And before you ask, no, there’s no way in hell that you’re helping me with this.”

"She’ll tell everyone who I am.” She stepped away from the window, her heart sinking in her stomach. “It’ll destroy my family.” She turned back to him.

He waved her words with his hands. "But you’re just a good girl, you couldn’t ever do something bad. Wasn’t that the speech you gave me?”

The way he was speaking to her made her breathe thin. “I’ve done too much, you know that. This is my family--”

"I didn’t make you steal my money.” He rubbed his chin and lifted his hand up. “I got family too, but when I was arrested you didn’t think about that, did you, darling?”

"How would I have known you had one?”

"Would it have made a difference?” He looked to the side then tilted his head down towards her.

She looked down.

"Yeah.” He said.

"It would’ve mattered if I didn’t think you were going to kill me.” She spat out.

His eyebrows furrowed when his phone went off. He picked it up and started to speak quickly, in chipped words. After a minute he ended the call and pocketed his phone.

"If Karin blows my story,” she tried to change gears. “I won’t be able to work for you. If you brought me on this trip there’s value in me working for you or I wouldn’t be here.”

He was worked up too, she could see in his stance, and she had no idea what his conversation had been about. She could see his expression harden. "Baby, this is no easy secret to keep. Turner already got his eyes on you. At least you won’t have to worry about keeping it a secret no more.”

"You don’t understand.”

"Nah, I don’t get the luxury of hiding.”

As she did, she heard his unsaid statement. At least, she had so far. Hiding behind a safe title as a housewife, who had a one time affair with a stranger who happened to commit crime on a regular basis

She looked away. She’d have to take it a step at a time, as she’d told herself for the past several months, as she’d always told herself. As she hasn’t stopped telling herself during the past couple of days, it seemed. But if Rio wasn’t going to help her, if he wasn’t going to help Karin, what was she going to do?

"Look, I gotta leave. I woulda wanted this to work out, yeah?”

Her chest constricted a little and she realized that was the closest he was going to say I’m sorry. It wasn’t easy for him, she imagined, particularly if he was telling the truth and it wasn’t his decision. And because of the inopportune time that his original deal and Karin blew up at the same time.

"If this doesn’t work,” she asked, “It’s going to come back to me right? That’s what it’ll look like to your higher ups?”

He didn’t answer but the air cleared a little, in a way that turned her stomach over.

"Don’t worry about that,” he said and she knew she had every right to worry. He’d been holding that from her and she wasn’t sure what that meant.

“Antonio’s gonna call you with another job in twenty minutes.” He said. “I gotta go play cleanup.”

"Yeah,” She crossed her arms and stared at the window.

"You may wanna change,” he said blankly. “May get dirty.”

"Yeah,” she said again, leaning back against the wall, not making eye contact, staring at the figures crossing the deck. She felt Rio hang on a couple of seconds, felt him about to take a step back.

“Don’t you sometimes,” She said and from the corner of her eye saw him stop, felt irritated at herself for the comfort she felt that her words stopped him. “Think about what it would be like if you stopped? If you wouldn’t feel like people are counting on you to make the right choice all the time?” Wasn’t that her special power? To plan and plan. And here she was, still trying to figure things out.

"Yeah. And I know you’re smart and you won’t do something stupid.”

"I’m not – I’m not talking about that,” she said squinting at him, but easing back when he squinted right back at her, lowering her head slightly, before looking out the window again. “Sometimes I get tired. Of being smart. Just – I just mean in general,” She lifted her palm before crossing her arms again. “Maybe it’d be easier when you don’t need to have everyone counting on you. Don’t need to worry that you can’t take a wrong step. But then you can’t stop. You don’t know what it’d feel like if people you love won’t count on you anymore. It keeps you going.” She lifted her back off the wall. “You know whe--” She looked back at him, hitting her stride, easing into her monologue when her next words froze on her lips. He was just staring at her with a look that she couldn’t make out.

“What?” She shook her head.

Dazed. That’s what he looked like.

“What’s that look for?” She searched his face.

Something passed between them and he shook his head and stepped closer to her. Air was running short in her lungs as his eyes stopped at her mouth.

"I didn’t tell Antonio about us.” He met her eyes.

She blinked. "What?”

"I didn’t tell him you’re my date,” he said.

You mean, you’re girlf- whatever, but a little tension was dispelled at his ill fitting comment. The way he said it, like her being his date was something ridiculous, bothered her more than it should’ve. What did she care what he thought?

"OK,” she uncrossed her arms, shrugging. She’d figured as much.

"You tell him?” He asked.

"No.”

He studied her like she was guilty of something.

"He probably heard something from one of the guests,” Beth said, unsure why she felt like she was putting his mind at ease. “Everybody loves a good piece of gossip.”

Big deal. Besides, and her irritation erupted-- “What are you upset at me for? How was I supposed to know you didn’t tell him?”

"I ain’t upset. At that.”

"At that.” She said at the same time as him and there it was, a tiny hint of a smile. No, she didn’t want that, she swatted the thought away, she didn’t want that from him. "Were you even listening to me?”

His posture seemed to relax and tighten at the same time. He nodded, his eyes starting to travel lower from her eyes, stopped, then looking away. “Yeah,” he looked back at her. “I was.”

He wasn’t quite there with her, she could tell, though she didn’t really care what he was thinking about. If it was that instead of her he wished he’d brought whoever Antonio had-- forget that. It irked her, that he had interrogated her about Antonio like she’d done something wrong, like she’d blown his secret. But what truly infuriated her was that he’d shut her out, told her to back off Karin, even though it would surely blow up in her face, even though it may well blow up in his face. Like she was a pebble he could all too easily cast away.

She wasn’t going to back down though, she thought as she met his eyes, refusing to look down, only fidgeting her fingers slightly. She’d never back down. Something moved behind his eyes and she was so pissed that all she saw was the same stubborn expression mirror hers.

“I need to,” he started.

"Leave,” She said.

He stared at her blankly. Stubbornly.

And it was a moment before, a moment before she could see anything beyond his ire, that a knock broke the silence. Rio stepped away and walked out of the room, not before reminding her she had twenty minutes, shutting the door behind him. Beth didn’t catch a glimpse of who was waiting for him. Guess the same rules didn’t apply to him. Or maybe he knew who was there. If she’d ask she was sure he’d swiftly answer that he played by different rules.

She wasn’t sure what it was, how she’d looked at him and it was like something had switched off while she was speaking. It had been something she said – but she didn’t have time to dwell on it right now.

She was smart. He was right. But he should’ve known her better. She grabbed her phone and reached for her shoes. Whatever he needed to do was up to him but she wasn’t going to wait around. She had needed to say what she had to to get Rio to back down but she couldn’t stop. Because she did take responsibility. And that meant dealing with Karin herself.

She paused, sitting on her bed. Was she sure? Rio wouldn’t forgive this. No, she shook her head. If she fixed this he’d sing a different tune. And anyway, she had no choice, she thought as she stood up.

This was family.

* * *

 

She made the rounds through the yacht, intent on tracking Karin down, thinking how she’d approach her. But as important was how she’d be able to track her down. It’s not like she had her room number. Or her cellphone number for that matter. Beth had called a mutual friend and said she was trying to reach her. Needed some winning recipe. The friend didn’t know, said she’d find out, and get back to her. But Beth wasn’t going to waste time, texting a few other friends. It would be only a matter of time before Antonio would be looking for her.

She’d gone through her options as she searched of what she’d do when she found Karin. Plead. Barter, offer to help her some other way? Even though she still had no idea what business – or businesses – Karin was involved with. She’d figure it out.

You’d think on Saturday people would be glued to their phones, she thought, winding the corner of another floor, glancing at her phone that held no reply from any of the people she texted. For all she knew, Karin could very well not even be on the yacht.

“Alanna,” A deep voice spoke up. Beth twirled on her toes, responding to the familiar voice.

"Hi there,” she smiled.

"Can I help you? It looks like you’re looking for something,” Nathan said.

"I was supposed to find a friend here, Cara--” she realized she didn’t know what last name Karin went by here. “A passenger.”

Nathan nodded. “What’s her last name?”

Beth made a face and sighed. “This will sound silly but I met her here. Voyage buddies you know,” she put her hands on her hips. “I don’t even remember her last name. She’s hard to miss --” she said warmly, describing what Karin looked like, unsure how she kept her tone calm. “But of course, there are hundreds of passengers here.”

Nathan smiled and she sucked her breathe for a moment as she waited to see if he’d buy it. “I’m joking. Only one Cara on this boat.” Nathan tilted his head..

Filing that away to think about later, Beth continued. “We were going to meet on deck but I must’ve gotten it wrong. Didn’t even get the chance to get her number.” Beth made a show of taking out her phone. She slouched her shoulders a little dramatically.

Nathan nodded. "I saw her about an hour ago but I know she doesn’t stay at the same place for long. Did you check her room?”

"Yes, she’s not there. Maybe she’s in the dining room.”

"If I see her, I’ll let you know.”

Beth nodded gratefully. “Thanks.” She shook her head like she couldn’t believe the confusion. “Oh--” She held her finger to her forehead. “This is so foolish. I remember she’s in 105, but I probably got it wrong. I was a little drunk when she told me,” she shook her head. “Do you know how I could find out where she’s staying?”

Nathan smiled at her. “For you? Sure.” He pulled out his phone.

Had he just winked at her? She’d take it, as she tried to keep her body language relaxed, like she had all the time in the world to wait.

"It’s 220.” He said.

"Not even close,” Beth laughed. “Thank you,” she said.

"Anytime,” Nathan slipped his phone in his pocket.

It was getting a bit closer to the time that Antonio was supposed to call her. She hurried to get to the second floor, opting for the stairs and walking down the hallway past a couple of guests, stopping in front of Karin’s door.

"Please be in there,” she murmured to herself.

The door opened.

"You’re not Cara,” a well dressed man with thinning brown hair said with a smile.

"Neither are you,” Beth replied, almost breaking into a mad laugh, seeing that clock tick down behind her eyes. She glanced at the number at the door. No, she was at the right place. “I take it she’s not here?”

"No, looking for her too?”

"I was hoping I’d find her here,” Beth said, forcing her speech to slow down. “Do you know how I can reach her? I left my phone with a friend and now I can’t find neither Cara or my friend.”

"Hold on,” the guy said and returned to his room, leaving Beth to hold the door open. Beth shut her eyes for a moment. She saw the guy disappear, then come back holding the phone. “Yeah, someone’s here looking for you,” he passed the phone to Beth.

"Thank you.” Beth held the phone to her face. “Cara – it’s Alanna.”

"I’ll be right there,” Karin said quickly and ended the call.

"Oh-- OK.” Beth stumbled on her words. “Make it quick.” She added, making eye contact with the guy who’d given her the phone, no doubt making him curious about what was going on.

"Five minutes.” Karin said.

Beth had no idea where she’d come from, but five minutes later Karin was standing in front of her, her guest having been sent out to give them a moment to speak in private.

“I see that Rio talked with you.” Karin clasped her hands together.

"Yes.” Beth straightened her back. “He got instructions from his highers ups. I’m sorry.”

"A shame,” Karin said and sighed. “Not a choice I wanted to have. I’d hate for everyone to find out about you. But when it’s you and your own, you don’t back off.” She tilted her head. Though Beth believed she didn’t want to do it she had no doubt she got a little power trip off it. Strangely she could relate to something about that.

"I know.” Beth said. “He told me to stay out of this. This could – end us. Our relationship and my job.” Whatever tenuous thread she had to either one.

Karin considered her, put her hand on her hip. “Tell me something. Have you considered working for someone else?”

“What?” Beth’s eyes widened.

“Mixing in work with pleasure, it can get messy.” Karin nodded knowingly, like she’d been through the play herself. “Help me get this done and I can make this worth your while. You need money now right?”

Of course she did, but what would she be jumping into?

"We all need money,” Beth said with little conviction.

Karin laughed. “Too proud to ask for your boyfriend for help?”

“I like to take care of my own business.”

“I can respect that,” Karin said, making a steeple with her hands.

“What is it that you do?” Beth turned her hands up.

Karin kicked her head back, laughing. “You’d find out. Nothing too bad,” she looked to the side and Beth wasn’t sure she believed her.

“You can hold your own. I can tell,” her phone beeped but while Beth’s eyes went to it she wasn’t distracted by it. “I have to get a good sense of people. He’s got a hold on you, I can see that. But between him and your kids, between him and your future, what are you going to choose?”

Well of course she’d choose her kids over Rio if that’s what this came to. And if a deal was sweetened with some money – she still desperately needed some.

But… A touch of doubt clouded her excitement. Rio had told her to stay out of this in no uncertain terms. She was already walking a thin, thin line. Yet again, she’d also be going nowhere fast if nothing happened. Taking inventory, she knew Rio’s deal was stuck, Karin was a step away from telling the world about her dealing with illicit affairs, possibly meaning it’d be something she couldn’t protect Ruby and Annie and their kids from either. How could she help her family quickly, _everyone_ in her family, if she wasn’t doing everything she could to help them – including the occasional criminal task – just until she figured things out?

That was it. In fact, if she helped Karin it would not only be helping her and hers. It’d help Rio. He’d have to see it that way because she’d have to make this work. Maybe a few hours ago she didn’t feel it but she was ready. She had to be ready.

Beth took a deep breathe. "What do you need me to do?”

 


	8. Chapter 8

She'd agreed to it so there wasn't going back, she told herself, trying to shelve away any regret. Twenty minutes after speaking with Karin, she was in a cab on her way for a pick up. After collecting it from a store keeper she spent most of the ride to the second location with the envelope clutched tightly in her arms.

"We'll make an exchange," Karin had told her on the yacht. "Information for cash. Simple." Karin raised her finger. "And it was why I needed Rio. Because for this you need a mediator. One company-"

From her tone Beth thought she meant 'gang' or at least a business dealing in illegal affairs.

"Needs information. The other has it, but," she made a face and her eyes looked up for a moment. "It gets messy. They're competitors. Enter company number three. Number three takes the information from one company, picks up a bit of cash along the way, passes the info on. Everyone's happy," Karin rubbed her hands as if to say "done deal."

"And you collect part of the money?"

"And- yes," Karin said.

Beth saw a flash behind her eyes. There was something else she wasn't telling her.

"A worker from Rio's crew helps," Karin indicated Beth, "We split the cost."

"I want 50-50," Beth said without hesitation, getting a hearty laugh in return.

"That what Rio offers, huh?" Karin clasped her hands. "Whatcha think?" She tilted her head. "We're not partners."

"You wouldn't be able to do this at all if it wasn't for me," Beth said.

"20-80 and that is very kind," Karin said.

"30-70."

"25."

"OK," Beth said.

"You use Rio's name," Karin tilted her chin up. "That's the deal."

Back in the car, Beth looked down at the manila envelope, as if it'd disappear from her hands if she didn't check on it every few heartbeats, and back out the window at the unfamiliar houses. How she found the courage to not only agree to do this but negotiate the terms she wasn't sure. Karin could've easily called her negotiating bravado. But if she was going for this already – why not go for broke.

A few minutes earlier her phone had flashed with Antonio's text, letting her know he'll be picking her up. She glanced out the window, shifting in her seat, before replying that she was going to get back to him as soon as possible, but she had an urgent family matter she had to deal with. It wasn't that much of a lie. She was doing this for her family, wasn't she, in the end? Helping Rio to help her family and herself. She wouldn't be in her room, Beth added, not specifying where she was, to try and buy time in case Antonio'd want to look for her – or Rio would send someone else to do the same.

Antonio'd texted her back, offering to help, and she'd explained she'll be OK, just needed to spend some time on the phone. Feeling a pinch of guilt at his kindness, her thoughts moved on quickly, and she loosened her grip on the envelope and set it on her lap, wiping sweaty hands on her pants. It wouldn't be long and this would be behind her.

The cab snaked through neighborhoods and Beth started noticing fewer and fewer people wandering the streets, tall and large scattered gray buildings filling her view. Each time a police car passed during the drive Beth held her breathe, wondering if they'd be stopped, adrenaline buzzing through her veins as it turned the corner.

Trepidation clutched her arms but something else too, something deeper, trembled through her chest that thrilled as it froze her limbs. For a moment she struggled to imagine how she could walk away from it. That similar high to when she got paid by Rio, to when he upped the amount of her fake cash.

The car stopped at a thin, nondescript tall building. Its size matched other buildings on the street, a few broken windows decorating it, with small balconies outfitting a few of the others. Unlike the other buildings a large grassy, lonely field surround this one. No person was in sight, Beth observed, and after entering the building she took the stairs quickly, climbing up to the third floor.

"You can still call Rio," Karin had told her shortly before Beth left for the cab. Last minute jitters on Karin's end, Beth had wondered, until Karin had spoken again. "If it would calm your nerves."

"I don't need to," Beth shook her head. "He trusts me."

So easily the lies slipped into Karin's room that for a moment even she believed them, before the air in her chest thinned. She'd start laughing if it wasn't for the uncomfortable heaviness the words left behind. She kept her gaze steady on Karin and swept the errant thought – she had no choice. Rio's deal had to happen or she'd be out for sure. And then where would her family be?

Karin pursed her lips then she opened her mouth. Changing her mind, she pulled out her phone. "It's good you came to me," Karin's eyes lifted from the screen and her face brightened with a little relief before she looked back at the screen.

Now, making her way up to the third floor, Beth thought again of the slippery, elusive word that circled and didn't touch her and Rio, that neither had a grasp on when it came to the two of them. Trust. Rio already didn't trust her, she reminded herself. What could happen, he'd trust he even less? It was of course a desperate thought.

The point of the trip was to rebuild, not destroy. He wouldn't have asked her to come if he didn't – oh, didn't what? He had also not made her any promises. If this deal of his didn't go through because of this, he had already said without saying, it would fall back on her. And then what were her chances of getting back in?

She stepped onto the wide floor and surveyed the room. Wooden boxes were spread throughout, some stacked up high, stopping her from being able to see to the other end, making the space seem smaller.

"Elizabeth."

She nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around.

Karin put her hand on her chest, and nearly stepped back. "I'm sorry," she smiled. "Alanna."

She hadn't even heard the name Elizabeth. Karin had said Beth but Beth had heard what she wanted to, her full name spoken softly, had gone as far as translating it in her ears into a deeper voice she knew well. Then again, sketchy buildings were kind of associated with him by now, weren't they? It wasn't like he was on her mind because she was doing something that could risk what they – it was too late for that.

Karin put out her hand for the envelope and Beth turned it over.

"Come on," Karin stepped forward and Beth hurried to match her steps.

They made their way through narrow makeshift corridors, Karin leading the way comfortably. How often had she been here, Beth wondered.

"I thought this warehouse was abandoned," Beth nodded at the boxes.

Karin opened her mouth and shook her head. "Sometimes this space is rented out," she said and peeked at the documents, looking at the first page. "Good work."

Beth nodded once absentmindedly. Picking it up was the easy part.

They finally stopped at a makeshift table where Karin set down the envelope. Beth glanced at it, resisting the possessive impulse to bring it closer to her, fleetingly visualizing her future fitting inside it.

Karin pulled up her phone. "Whatcha know?" She swiped at her screen. "Right on time."

Unseen steps echoed across the large room, getting louder. Beth schooled her breathes. Karin calmly nodded at her.

"It's him?" Beth asked, feeling her chest tighten, and looked down at Karin's phone.

Karin picked up the envelope and took a step closer to one of the two exits, motioning for Beth to join her.

"I hope so." She pocketed her phone.

"Don't you know?"

Karin tilted her head to the side. "Sounds like him." She pulled a flip phone this time and made a face. "He never texts."

Finally a man with wavy black hair stepped into view. Karin's shoulders relaxed a little and Beth quietly breathed out. It was the right person. He was a little older than her, she imagined, thinner and shorter than she expected. Though to be fair what was she basing it on? Only the guys who worked for Rio. The man held a duffel bag over his back and Beth allowed herself to feel relief in that just for a second.

Concentrate, she told herself.

He nodded at the two women, his eyes stopped at Beth before focusing on Karin. "What's the good word, Cara? This is-"

"Alanna," Karin said easily.

The wrinkles eased on the man's face, like he'd got the answer he wanted. "It's been a minute." He said.

Beth exhaled. She'd made her decision.

Karin smiled. "Glad you could make it so quickly. I thought we'd get Ben."

The man shook his head. "I was already here." His eyes shifted to Beth and his face tightened in concentration, like he was trying to pinpoint her. "You new?"

Karin opened her mouth when Beth answered. "No."

Something in the air shifted just a little as Beth kept her eyes on the man and felt Karin's gaze fall on her.

The man tightened his grasp on the bag's handles and gaze wandered behind the women and around the room as if waiting for someone to pop out from under the desk. "You said-" The man said quietly to Karin. His face relaxed as if he'd realized something. "Guess I don't know all of Rio's people," he said.

Images of Ruby and Annie, of her four children, stood behind her.

She clasped her hands in front of her. "I don't work for him," she finished her sentence with a bright, firm smile.

"Where's Rio?" The man stared at Karin. "You said-"

"I'm here." Beth turned her face to the envelope. "And so is this."

At this she finally turned her face to Karin, as if she was in on this, Karin's face meeting hers with a stoic expression. Beth had to give it to her – she still kept her composure, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Who do you run with?" Seemingly giving up on Karin giving him answers, the man turned his attention to Beth.

Beth could see her sister, probably working an extra shift at Frugal and Ruby enjoying the afternoon with her kids at the park. Hopefully Stan had joined them.

"I have my own crew." She said.

Beth raised her chin, sensed Karin doing the same.

"Where are they?" The man smiled, not kindly, and turned his hand up as he looked around Beth as if looking for her invisible guards.

"Care to give me your name?" Beth answered with her own question, keeping her tone firm.

"Ethan." He said, turning back to Karin. "This wasn't part of the deal." He said to her.

"It is now." Beth said. "See, you never know where new competitors can roll up from. Right now our business is to help you. You need this information." Beth glanced at the envelope on the table. "And we take the pay."

"No, this isn't happening. It's not what you told me on the phone," Ethan glanced at Karin, taking out his phone and starting to step back.

"Wait," Beth raised her hand. "You've never met me before. That's fair," She motioned towards the envelope. "But you just need to come back with this." She glanced between Karin and him. A lot was at stakes here but not just for her. Not from the way Ethan's eyes lingered on the envelope.

"I need to know that Rio's people were involved," Ethan insisted. "I don't know who you are."

"You know who Cara is," Beth said. "And you know your boss needs this."

Ethan's lips pressed together and she saw him hesitate. Stop.

From a distance muffled noises came through.

"What do you say?" Beth asked.

The noise sounded again. It sounded a little like steps. Quick steps. Ethan's face paled.

"What's that?" Karin asked, looking at him accusingly. Ethan returned the glare.

"I was going to ask you that." He said, but Beth didn't believe him.

The shuffling sounded again. Not just that. What was it? It sounded too much – too sharp, too loud, something she'd heard years before. Had mostly heard in movies she'd watched with the girls or with Dean. Gunshots.

"I need to get out of here," Ethan said.

Beth's eyes widened as she saw something move from the corner of her eyes before they focused on the gun that Karin was holding in her steady hands.

"You want to stop." Karin said. "Stop and give me what I came for."

The man raised his free hand. "You're gonna shoot me? You know I didn't get the OK to take it."

Gun shots were coming closer and Karin brought down her gun. A gunshot sounded even closer and in a flash the envelope was gone, held between Ethan's fingers.

"Run." Karin said to Beth, who'd frozen in her spot.

She heard her heart as they ran, her heart and their steps, but could still make out shots. At least the shoes were good enough to run in. Phrases repeated themselves in her head, meaningless words. She wasn't even sure where she was running to, just keep away, keep away. Just make it to the other side, just turn this corner. Follow Karin who seemed to know where she was going.

The steps didn't grow fainter. Who was it? Who knew they were there? What did they want? She didn't want to ask, not waste a precious breathe on the questions. It couldn't have been someone Karin worked with, not when she was running with the same force as Beth.

Her kids. Her kids. She didn't say goodbye, she didn't say goodbye. Her sister laughing. Ruby's voice when they spoke on the phone. Dean when he'd taken the kids out months ago and let her sleep in. The new life she'd started. She wouldn't say goodbye. She'd get out of here. To snap at her sister, to hug her children, to snuggle with Ruby. To laugh and sit back with Annie and Ruby.

Someone yelled and Beth couldn't make it out, only that it was too close, far too close. She dove behind a corner, losing her step over a piece of metal sticking out of the floor, heard a snap. And then all that filled her vision was darkness.

* * *

"Elizabeth."

Her back ached against the hard floor. No, that wasn't right. Beth opened her eyes and turned her head, meeting no concrete on either side. No, she wasn't lying down but sitting against a metal chair. Her left arm moved to her right and thudded pain followed seconds later reminding her of her sore limbs. Her eyes settled on Rio and she tried to scooch back in her seat and stifled a groan at the constant wave burning through her foot. It was hard to tell the aches apart but that pain bothered her the most. Her eyes squeezed shut.

She'd seen him already, the moment she'd opened her eyes, but she wasn't ready to speak. How had he found her? It wasn't a dream, she had already realized. The darkened room was too clear and her pain too sharp. Trying to change her posture didn't help her feel any more comfortable and having already failed once to find relief in it she was afraid to move her arms or her feet too quickly. Why was she surprised that she was sitting?

She'd fallen. Finally she lowered her eyes to Rio who sat crouched in front of her. Two unfamiliar men stood a few feet behind him. Her kids, she thought. She was OK. Awake, in one peace. Her kids, she had to talk with them. Not yet. She couldn't think clearly yet. First she'd need to slow down her thoughts.

"What are you doing here?" She squinted, tried again to straighten her back, her yearning to speak to her kids bleeding into her words and softening her tone. Wishing her body to loosen, a jab of pain seizing her right foot, and her arm went to her thigh. "Where's-?"

"Your friend? Gone." Rio bit through tight lips and hard features. His featuers had been blank until then, as far as she could tell, her mind focused on how she was doing. On her kids. She tried to avoid his face, slid her right foot on the ground even though she knew better and bit back a groan as she tried to put weight on her left foot, relieved to find that she could.

Rio took her right arm, tightening his hold when she tried to extract it back though she'd know it'd hurt. He looked it over methodically. His hands weren't gentle but he wasn't trying to hurt her. Rio exchanged glances with one of his men who stepped closer and took Beth's arm. She let him, getting a sense that he knew what he was doing, going through what had happened right before she fell. The man looked from her arm to Rio and shook his head.

"Is she OK?" Beth cradled her arm and groaned softly.

"Left on her own two feet." Rio met her eyes before he quickly looked away.

She didn't want to have this conversation yet. Not ever. The knot that had tightened them together was being pulled, tightening it further, but maybe with another pull the two ends would unravel into a loose string.

"How did you find me?" She asked, closing her eyes. She had fallen as she ran and the thought dragged an injured embarrassment. A small matter compared to what happened but she couldn't ignore the feeling. It hadn't gone through. The man had left with the money. She'd never wanted to stand up and leave and stay put all at the same time.

Rio didn't answer and it didn't matter, she knew. What mattered was what he wasn't asking her yet.

"I'm not apologizing," she said before she could stop herself. "Not when I was trying to help."

He nodded once sharply and his lips tightened into a sharp line again. "Worked out. Your help."

It wasn't lost on her that neither one of them was succeeding in keeping eye contact for more than a few moments. Minutes ago his hand had gone to her other arm, the one whose movements clawed her bones much less. He'd already looked it over as she talked but he hadn't let go, holding on to her wrist without affection.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She said, speaking more to herself that anyone else, not liking the contrast between the coldness in his voice and his hold along with the pretense that he cared if she was hurt. Her response wasn't to what he asked her and quickly realizing that she spoke again, finally releasing her arm from his grip. "I tried to tell you – I had to do something." She said in as steady voice she could muster.

"I didn't hear you," his eyes didn't leave her face now as he spoke in disbelief, his words coming out like thorns. "Nah, I was just talking to myself when I told you to stay out. Right." His voice lowered and she heard the fury under it, her chest tightening. "I wasn't clear to do it, so you were."

"I'm not your employee," she tasted bitterness on her tongue. It was a childish response that would no doubt rile him up but pain was thinning out her patience.

"No, you're not." He said through gritted teeth.  _And you won't be_ , she heard the unsaid words. While his voice was calm she knew him well enough to know the restraint holding him back. It wouldn't be smart to argue with him.

Despite not wanting to get closer to him, she found herself lowering her face. "I didn't give your name. I did this on my own."

His face washed with something and disappeared before she could recognize it. His eyes thinned into thin slits and if possible, his expression was filled with more contempt than before.

"With who? What protection?" He asked the question she had heard before.

"I had to –"she held back tears that were pushing through because of her throbbing foot. "I can't argue with you right now." She took a sharp breathe. "This hurts,"

"Serves you right." He snapped. "Who did this to you?"

A hand brushed against her thigh and she lowered her chin. His hands were at each side of her legs, until that moment not touching her. It felt too much like he was closing in on her. Her eyes shot back up, raising her shoulders for a moment and put her hands in her lap, sharpening her features. He didn't respond to her irritated expression, keeping his hands where they were.

"I don't know." She said defiantly and shook her head.

"Who?" His voice came a little louder.

"I fell." She said, irritated through the pain. "Someone was chasing us. I don't know who."

"Get the guys," Rio turned his head and looked at one of his men. "Find Malcolm."

Her eyes followed Rio's to the men who stepped back, one leaving and the other moving to the exit, getting on the phone. Feeling pressure on her thigh, Beth's eyes briefly glanced downward, clocking that Rio's hand had shifted to it, his fingers sprawled over her pants, her hand already moved away to give him room. She wanted nothing more to swat it away. And she would've, fake relationship be damned, but it helped take the bite off the ache.

Responding to the ominous way he said Malcolm, Beth blurted out, "What, what are you doing? Who is he?"

"None of your business." Rio snapped and turned his head back to the man by the exit, who shook his head at him before turning back to the door. He continued speaking softly into his phone.

The who was left behind faced the door, speaking softly into it, turning away from the two of them.

"How do you know who it was who chased us?"

Rio pinched the bridge of his nose. "Elizabeth," he said in caution.

Why was she even defending some guy she didn't know? Maybe it had been the guy chasing her and Karin and about to hurt them. She didn't want to be responsible for someone else getting hurt. She wasn't ready to cross the line of not caring.

"No. You don't know who it was-"

Rio's features hardened and Beth stopped.

Even though she knew it'd hurt she pulled her leg a little, hoping the subtle movement would remind Rio of where his hand was, but he kept it on her thigh, putting even more weight down as if in retaliation, giving her a sharp look.

"What- What are you doing?" She asked quietly, looking between his hand, him, and the man who was still on the phone, his back to them.

"Stopping you from limping on out of here."

Beth turned her face away, her body acutely honed in on the weight on her thigh. She could feel the warmth of his hand. That was exactly what she wanted to do. Except hopefully with a little grace, though she couldn't imagine putting weight on her right foot at the moment.

Rio shook his head. "Beats me why I bother," he said, his voice dripping of scorn, but he didn't remove his hand. Which was too bad. It didn't even feel comforting.

She wasn't quite sure he meant it, that deep poison in his tone, but with everything that went down she couldn't be sure anymore. If that was the case...

"I'm OK," she lied. "I don't want you to- kill someone because of me."

"It ain't pretty, I keep telling you." Rio gritted his teeth." I take a chance on bringing you here." His face twisted and he held her eyes for a moment before he looked away. She wasn't sure if he was going to keep talking but she was pretty sure she didn't want to hear where it was leading.

"Why do you think I did it?" She leaned forward by an inch. "To get her off your back, so you could get this deal done."

"Nah, I got a hold on her just fine," his jaw tightened as he shook his head.

"It would've gone through," Beth continued. "If it wasn't for- an interruption. Your colleagues, for all I know."

"The ones I trust- they stay away when I tell them. Maybe you're trying to be King in a new town." His face cleared in a way and he smiled in a way that chilled her stomach.

She wished, truly did that it wasn't the case but at the expression he gave her and practically tangible way he was pulling away made her want to close the distance any way she could. But at that reminder of trust, that fragile trust. A shiver ran through her arms.

"Those you trust- do they trust you?" Her ire seeped out but remembering they weren't alone she kept her voice lower than she would've otherwise. "How can I trust you when you don't ever tell me anything?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "Nah, I should tell you more. Better you in my place right?"

She could see in how tightly he was holding his arms and his body, just how much he was holding back. He didn't raise his voice but he didn't have to. The familiarity between them, the semblance o closeness she herself had tried to built, was gone. She was poking him back because it was true. He didn't trust her and she didn't trust him. But she'd seen a glimpse of what it looked like when he'd taken his fury out and she wanted to be careful.

No, she didn't want to be in his place, not when she just got hurt, not when her kids were weighing heavy on her mind. But she wasn't going to say it. Not when a small part of her urged her to stop.

"I didn't need to do this, OK." She raised her hand a few inches above her knee, forcing herself to make a concession. "I had to do something. I couldn't stay back," she looked up from her hands, speaking quickly as she knew he'd have a response to that. "You keep shutting me out-" Her face tightened as she moved her foot carelessly and pain shot through it.

"It can't hurt so much." His hand was back on her thigh. "You got four kids."

He actually kept count? She didn't remember telling him that. And she had and no pain compared to it. It was almost like he was trying to distract her though. She leaned forward.

"What's wrong?" He asked and Beth winced, unable to lean further, indicating her back.

Rio's hands went to it, checking her.

"You hurt?"

Like he couldn't see by now that she was. Still, she shook her head, relieved to finally hear a little concern in his voice, under the biting, quiet rage. She heard the rustling as Rio's eyes met hers and he pulled something out. Folded pieces of paper.

"What's this?" He asked her.

"I got it from the envelope," She squinted her eyes through a sizzle of pain. "What I picked up."

He unfolded them, looking them over. He looked up at her.

"I just had a feeling…" She said. "Don't trust someone you don't really know."

She didn't know Karin. The little she knew wasn't the woman she spoke with on the yacht. She had thought about it when she'd looked over the pages in the cab, thinking about what control she had in the situation she was going into, deciding to take hold of some of it in the way that she could. She wasn't sure what to take from the packet, even considered what'd look least conspicuous if Karin or anyone else took closer look before the transaction happened. In the end she took a chance, pulling out what looked like rough blueprints of buildings, thinking they had to be important enough to be included.

Rio's eyebrows raised as he looked down at the first page, leafing through them. A tiny reflection of something that looked suspiciously like relief – or maybe that was what she projected onto it – flashed behind his eyes. She smiled before she could stop herself, before breathing it out. He got on his feet, his hand going to her thigh and brushing it as he did.

"Rio, it's him." The guy who'd stayed back said, hanging up the phone.

Rio stepped back, his eyes on Beth before he turned to the young man. "Stay with her," he patted him on his shoulder. "Make sure she gets back on the boat. That she gets checked out." He turned back and looked Beth in the eye as he gave his last instruction.

He was so young, Beth thought when they were left behind and she got a closer look at his tanned face. He had to be in his twenties, maybe even younger. What had gotten you here? She thought. Before walking out Rio had helped her get up from her chair despite her protests and only left when the younger man stood beside her, barely giving her a second look.

"I don't need to carry you out of here, do I?" Between the lines of the annoyance in his words Beth could've sworn she heard a bit of playfulness too and she wondered what she looked like to Rio's man.

"No, no."

As she started to prepare to step down the stairs she braced herself to ask.

"Are you taking me to the bus station? Because I need to get my bags-"

And at that opportunity try to lose him so she could talk to Rio again. She wasn't going to be dropped like that. Despite what happened. She wasn't going to walk away from this after everything.

The young man beside her shook his head, looked surprised at her question, before she realized his surprise was at her guarded tone, deferring to him.

"He said to take you back to the ship," he lifted his shoulder and dropped them casually. The matter didn't concern him of course.

Even if he knew, Beth was sure he wouldn't tell her. Rio had told the guy he wanted her to get checked out but after everything what would he care? It didn't matter, she told herself stubbornly. Whatever Rio's instructions were she was going to find a way to get to him again. Their conversation wasn't over. Even if at that moment she wasn't completely sure what she wanted. Appeal to Rio to get back in? So soon after she'd gotten hurt in a way she hadn't before.

Was she sure that this – was she sure that this was what she wanted? The money. The security, she thought as she avoided stepping on her injured foot. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to send her away without her talking to him. She'd need to find him.

But before all of that she'd talk with her kids. As soon as she'd catch her breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ballooned, you know the drill. I'm gonna try posting the next chapter sooner than the time it took to post this last one but I don't have a timeline.


	9. Chapter 9

She didn’t make the most graceful exit, in turn ambling and hopping down the stairs, but she was certainly not going to be carried out of that building. Even if she couldn’t quite walk on her own two feet because putting weight on one made her take a sharp breathe, she could do the next best thing. Still by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs she agreed to take Luis’s – she’d asked for his name – arm and put some weight on him as she walked.

Her heart ached to hear her kids voices but she held the need back to call them as she sat down in the car seat. She needed a moment to collect herself or she’d lose her voice. If Dean got on the phone, well – despite everything after decades of knowing her, if he was in the right mood he could even offer compassion and she didn’t think she could handle that right now.

Her hand reached into her pockets and her heart jumped. "Where’s my phone?” She asked herself. She hadn’t taken a bag with her, maybe following some quiet instinct. She still had the few bills she had tucked in her pockets just in case. She even had her alias ID.

When she ran – she must have dropped it. She closed her eyes. “I need it,” she said when Luis didn’t answer but instead turned the key in the ignition. “Luis?” She asked again.

"I got it, don’t worry,” Luis glanced at her as the car rolled from the building.

"Can I have it?” She put her hand out, annoyance more than edged in her voice.

"Rio said you get checked out, you get it,” he tilted his head towards her, returning the annoyance in her tone, but something was sneaking behind it which took shape to something close to a smile.

Beth pulled her hand back and glanced upwards, shaking her head. “Don’t tell me you’re taking me to the hospital?”

Luis shook his head and took a right turn. Beth turned away from him and huffed quietly, words on the edge of her tongue before she thought better of it, imagining Luis pass them on to Rio. Not that anything she’d say could make worse the situation. She had no doubt she’d have to mend some fences but maybe, maybe what she gave him, possibly that’d make a difference. Her heart lightened when she saw some relief relax his features before he’d walked out. If it helped, before she’d find him, it’d make it easier.

Because even while pulsing, scalding rays dug their way through her foot’s veins, she’d all but forgotten what happened around half an hour before – she’d gathered after asking Luis for the time. Perhaps not forgotten, but set aside. She’d deal with that later. What had happened wouldn’t something she’d do every time. She wouldn’t have reason to feel the kind of terror that took her, nearly freezing her to her place even when she ran, and worse, made her want to turn around and fight back.

No, she’d deal with difficult, with risky situations if she stayed with Rio but it wouldn’t be like this. The gunshots, the chasing steps. Her heart swelled just a little and she knew that this wasn’t the reaction that she was supposed to have. She had to do this, right? She focused her thoughts. Had to stay in this world to give her kids a future.

Now that she didn’t have the option to call them, even though a few minutes ago she’d already agreed with herself that she wouldn’t do it until her thoughts slowed down anyway, she wanted to open the door and get out of the car, even though it was moving. Just walk off her nerves. She started crossing her right foot over the other but quickly froze, wincing.

Apart not for that, she thought, perhaps to assuage the pain, she had gotten out of this hadn’t she? She couldn’t think like that, she knew. But she had, a stubborn voice spoke over her apprehension. She’d felt intense fear before, fear for her kids, when one of them was injured, when she had been injured herself, but fear like being chased, of teetering seconds between – well she didn’t want to dwell on that. But the fear and terror that had filled her brain as she ran had already dimmed, replaced with the thought of what next. How would she appeal to Rio? Her stomach growled. Though it hadn’t been that long since she’d eaten she needed to get something in her stomach or she’d have a hard time focus on anything and her thoughts would continue to jumble.

"Mind if we stop for something?” She turned her head to Luis. Seeing his hesitation at derailing from Rio’s orders she quickly added. “It can be quick. My treat.”

Fast food wouldn’t be her first choice but she rarely indulged. Luis nodded and stopped at the nearest place.

* * *

The sun warmed Beth’s shoulders as she and Luis walked towards the yacht. He guided her down a quiet hallway and stopped at a cabin where several guys lounged around, quickly quieting down as the two of them walked in. Luis motioned for a guy to get up from a chair and turned to Beth, pointing with his hand towards the seat.

"I’m really fine,” Beth insisted to a man, who seemed a few years older than her, as he crouched down and examined her foot. It was the same words she had repeatedly said to Luis who gave her a look each time to let her know it was not his problem and he wasn’t going to let her change his mind from their final destination.

"Tough one,” He said, following up with some questions about whether she’d previously injured her foot and what had happened.

"Deal with this a lot?” she asked after the man insisted she give him direct answers.

"I used to deal with it more,” The guy said. The way he carried himself, his posture and his stoic and formal approach, reminded Beth of an old friend of Dean’s who had been in the army.

"Are you a doctor?” Beth asked softly. A younger man raised his face from his phone and snickered.

"Good enough to get you fixed up back in June wasn’t it?” The guy holding her foot snapped back. The younger man didn’t reply but rolled his eyes as soon as he thought the other man wasn’t watching him.

The swelling didn’t seem too bad to her though her skin was darker and bruised around her ankle. She had come across many results of falls in her time and had a sense of what to look out for.

"Expect it's a sprain. See how you feel in a couple of days. If it’s still bothering you, getting an x-ray’d be a good. Try to stay off that foot.” He got up. “Need some pain killers?”

Beth shook her head. She had something in her bag. “Thank you.”

"Hold on,” he said and disappeared into the bathroom, reappearing with a few ice packets. “There’s an ice machine on the second floor.”

Beth accepted the ice, already having decided she’d agree to almost everything if it meant she’d get her phone back. "Rest, Ice… Compression and Elevate right?”

The guy nodded and tilted his head. “You said this didn’t happen to you before.”

Beth saw Jane and her, as if it was yesterday, at the doctor’s office after one of her daughter’s scrapes. “I-- have some experience,” she said simply. “Big family,” she said without thinking, cataloging it as a part of Alana’s story. "Can I get my phone back please?” She turned to Luis.

As soon as she stepped out in the hallway she unlocked her phone and dialed Dean. She mustered her most carefree voice as she chatted with him, eager to speak to her kids.

“You sure everything’s good?”

The kids sounded fine of course, having no clue what their mom had just been through. Beth tapped on her left leg, her body on edge, feeling a relief in talking with him and forcing herself to slow down her speech, reminding herself they knew nothing about what she’d just been through.

"I miss you mommy,” Emma said, sounding sleepy, and Beth’s heart swelled as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Not as much as I miss you,” she sniffled.

She ended the call and squared her eyes at her screen picturing her four kids, Jane hugging Buddy. She put weight on her left foot as she leaned against the wall.

Had she gone through all of this now to be out? Of course not.

Maybe she should’ve waited, she thought as she was already steps away from his room. Luis had told her when she’d left the cabin he’d taken her too to wait for Rio in her room.

But she’d taken a pain pill which dimmed the throbbing in her foot. It was probably not what was making her drowsy but what she’d been through, namely that day. But perhaps that drowsiness was what she had to thank for taking down her defenses and making her feel more courageous.

So she made her way down to Rio’s door, having made sure to remember the number when they had checked in. She stared at the door for a moment before knocking. Steps came closer and in moments the door swung open.

"What do you want?”

The gruffness in his voice didn’t surprise her. What did is that he didn’t seem at all thrown off to see her. He stepped in front of the door before she could get a peek in to see it.

Think about your family, she told herself, and braced herself. "I thought I should make my case before I get dropped off at the next port,” she said, resisting the itch to cross her arms.

He closed the door behind him and shook his head once. “I can’t talk with you right now.”

Putting weight on her right foot as she pulled her shoulders back, Beth’s soreness caught her off guard just for a moment.

"You OK?” He asked in a clipped tone but something about it bothered her. She shrugged it off. She didn’t want his pity.

"I’m fine.”

"I can’t talk right now. Get back to your room.”

I’ll talk to you when I’ll talk to you, Beth heard the unsaid words.

"Should I pack?” She met his eyes. Rip off the bandaid if this was the case, she thought. She didn’t need to wait for that.

"Wait there.” He said before turning around and closing the door.

That was it. The whiteness of the door had so quickly replaced the man who stood in front of her. Maybe she should’ve just walked on in. Taken his example. Not that she thought that would help. He wasn’t alone, she thought, as she heard voices behind the door.

She turned around, using the wall to steady her turn. An anti-climactic face to face but she had to try and talk to him. She had nothing to do on this boat. She wanted so badly to talk with Ruby and Annie but she wanted to try to avoid any conversation over the phone about what happened.

Maybe she could work on some online tasks in the meantime. Think of how she could sell herself as an asset to Rio. She’d blown it with Karin, but Rio himself said that the woman wasn’t loyal to anyone. Maybe Beth could still be a line to Karin despite the latter likely being pissed off.

Turning the corner a familiar face lit up as he recognized her.

"What happened to you?” Nathan asked.

Beth slowed down even more her walk-hop and leaned against the wall, putting her weight on her left foot. While it didn’t hurt she wanted to try and keep weight off her foot, at least for a short while.

Beth gave Nathan a brave face, patting her right thigh. “Slipped while I was running after an ice cream truck,” she joked. “It was hot. I needed that cone.”

Nathan smiled and took stock of her foot. “You sure you wanna keep stretching it out like this?”

"I was just heading to rest it,” Beth motioned towards her cabin.

Nathan stepped closer to her, as if trying to get a better look. “You should get it checked out.”

Beth sighed in gratitude that he wasn’t pushing wanting to know what happened to her. "I did.” She pushed off the wall. “I think I just need to rest it.” She winced at a dimmed shot of pain.

“I can get you a second opinion.”

Beth's door beckoned behind Nathan. She wouldn’t have minded in that moment to lie back in her bed, elevate her foot on a pillow, but she felt encouraged by Nathan’s warmth that was written on his face and coating his voice. It contrasted so sharply with how the man behind the white door had taken her in before sending her off. And of course he was upset at her, but to have that kind of warmth from Rio ever – her head hurt trying to imagine it. Not that she’d want it – why would she need it?

She shook her head. “Don’t tell me we have a doctor onboard?”

Nathan pointed at himself.

Again Beth shook her head and she leaned a little closer, fisting her hands at her sides.

“Let’s at least get you sitting down.”

He offered her his arm and Beth took it. She shuffled alongside him. “Are you really a doctor?”

Nathan smiled and leaned a little closer. “OK, so I took a few first aid courses. It’s maybe going to surprise you what I see on these trips. I even have an office.”

Beth’s smile widened.

"It’s more like a closet.” Nathan admitted, tilting his head.

"Sounds just like an examination room. OK.” She nodded at him. “Where is it?”

"One floor down. It’s not too much is it?”

Seeing as she wasn’t sure she was ready to have him in her room quite yet, for a reason she wasn’t sure of, she quickly replied it was no issue at all. Or maybe it was that it would give her some space from the tension on this one.

As Nathan led her into the small room which indeed appeared to be a a refurbished closet. Beth fleetingly wondered how many rooms she’d get to see in this boat apart from Rio’s.

"Please,” He indicated the chair and Beth sat down. Photos and pictures of South American and Asian tourist attractions decorated the walls. She searched for Costa Rico. That trip she had never gotten to take. It had been something that she had dreamed about in days that seemed not to end. Would Dean take someone else there? Would she take her kids alone? It would seem strange to do that. Maybe she’d go – maybe she’d wait and go when she was with someone else. Or they’d choose a new location altogether. But after all the research she’d done her heart was set on that spot.

Nathan spoke drawing her attention back as he took a seat in front of her. He asked her similar questions as she’d been asked before, except these had to do with how she got injured. She kept the details short without any indication of the details surrounding what caused her to run and fall.

Unlike the man earlier, Nathan held her foot a little more gingerly and seemed undoubtedly less experienced from the man who’d checked her over before. His diagnosis was also similar – that based on the location of the swelling it was a suspected sprain.

“I’d want you to have an x-ray done,” he added.

"You don’t have to have a machine tucked in the closet, do you?” Beth glanced at the closet in the corner and back at Nathan, and away again as he smiled widely at her.

"No,” Nathan laughed. “But I got a guy.”

Beth put her hand on her thigh and looked down at her foot.

"He doesn’t ask questions and he won’t use your insurance.”

Beth shook her head. “I’ll see how I do first.”

“OK.” He got up from his chair. “I’d say you got lucky,” Nathan got up.

Beth burst in a short laugh but covered up graciously. Yeah, that’s the word for what was going on here these past few days.

"I may have something for you,” Nathan headed to the closet, opening it and shuffling inside.

"Oh no,” Beth shook her head when he produced a green cane. “You don’t think I need that?”

Nathan turned his face back to the closet. “We used to have a pair of crutches but I had to lend them this morning, believe it or not.”

Beth eyed the cane suspiciously, like it was going to wrap itself around her hand and cut off her circulation.

"Give it a try." Nathan stretched his arm out towards her. "It’ll help you keep your weight off that foot.”

Beth took it from him and put it firmly on the ground, taking a few steps. If it meant it’d help her get back on her two feet again more quickly. “I didn’t imagine this when I left for the weekend.”

Nathan smiled and there was that fondness again and she felt herself tugging at it, like a child holding onto a ball not because it was her favorite but because she only had so few toys in her possession. The sudden realization shook her and she turned towards the door.

"I’ll walk you back, I have to get back in a bit anyway.” He pressed some buttons on his phone.

Wasn’t it simpler, Beth asked herself, as she and Nathan walked, chatting a little but also sharing some companionable silence. The layers of mistrust missing here, the ones that she felt she shared with both Rio and Dean, pityingly both men in her life, albeit for very different reasons. And while she felt some tension with Nathan it was different. Uncomplicated, almost pleasant. She didn’t know anything about Nathan, of course. Similarly to Rio, she thought humorlessly. Still, it was nice that flirting with Nathan was just flirting, unlike with Rio – not that she ever flirted with him – never. It was – or anyway it was never flirting with any intentions beyond just – loneliness.

"You know we serve ice cream here too,” he teased her, revisiting the earlier reason she gave for her injury.

"The dining room was closed,” Beth smiled, pouting a little and added weight on her cane.

"Find me,” he said. “Or -- It’s 0 on your phone. If looking for me is hard for right now,” he motioned towards her leg. "I could give you my number."

"You remember I'm with someone right?" Beth asked. In her mind Nathan hadn't completely accepted it, that Rio would be with someone older like her, but Nathan what -- had to be the same age as Rio, if not younger, frankly. He was bold, that was for sure. "We don't share," she added, not at all sure why she included Rio in that. But maybe she was reading too much into it and Nathan was just being friendly.

"It's always like that," he said in a tone Beth read as 'can't blame me for asking.' 

"Thanks for the cane. I hope I won’t need it much longer,” Beth lowered her chin to her cane and raised her eyes back to Nathan whose eyes lifted behind her. She turned her head to find Rio strolling slowly down the hallway, his hands in his jersey.

Beth turned her face back to Nathan. "Thanks for helping me.”

She could already feel it, as Rio drew closer. The air shifting and she sensed something she couldn’t quite recognize. Her arms tensed as Rio came to stand beside her. Still she turned her body to him instinctively, without meaning to.

"Hey, how are you, man?” Nathan glanced from Beth to Rio.

"Good. Helped out my girl?” Rio’s eyes glanced at Beth’s cane.

Beth nearly rolled her eyes at the wording of his question. As livid as he was with her he still had to mark his territory and for what? Something changed in Nathan’s face and it was when she recognized what it was she’d sensed. Possessiveness. Rio wasn’t touching her at all but it felt like his words were tugging her to him.

"Yeah. She’ll be fine. It’s something when we get hurt on a trip. Right?” He smiled at Beth, having dialed the flirtiness down but even Beth could still sense it.

"Yes,” Beth turned her face to Rio whose eyes were still on Nathan, saw his body straighten more. “Thank you,” she indicated the cane. “I’ll give it back before I get off the boat.”

Nathan waved her off. "It’s nothing.”

Nathan headed off and Beth watched him walk away, feeling the air change again as Nathan’s flirty, playful energy left, replaced with what Rio brought with him, a heavy charge. The air nearly visibly tightened as Nathan turned the corner. Rio was still staring ahead.

"You wanted to talk?” He asked with tired eyes, sounding like his mind was elsewhere, before he finally turned his face to her. Clearly not wanting to do this. She was ready, though, and by this point itching to sit down. "Didn't take you away from anything?" He asked in a bored tone and again unlike before, she heard something between the words. A kind of attention. She waved it awy.

She opened the door and walked in, holding the door for him.

* * *

"That’s right. This is enough for you to be on your way home,” He said icily.

They’d been at it for a bit and she wasn’t sure how it had gotten so heated so quickly but it was likely because even though he was worked up so was she. Good, she thought bitterly. So much for her getting sympathy for getting hurt.

"I was trying to help you.” She raised her voice, just as she’d told her she wouldn’t when he’d walked in.

She recognized something flash in his eyes. An understanding. He didn’t believe her. He turned and started heading towards the door.

She followed, annoyed that she couldn’t match his steps as quickly as she usually could. “Just because I also tried to help myself at the same time means I wasn’t thinking about you?”

He stopped and turned around. “Next time I tell you not to do something you’re going to help me too?”

"Did it?” She asked, taking a step forward, trying to detach herself from how his words, how the tension between them was charging her up. “You never answered me.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

It did, though, she knew. "I couldn’t sit back. I couldn’t stay here knowing that if it didn’t work I was out.”

He didn’t answer and she knew she was right. He had a boss. Almost everyone had a boss. She couldn’t expect him to try and protect her just like he couldn’t expect her to sit back.

“Is it so hard for you to think that maybe I’d be an asset for you?”

He choked a laugh. "You ain’t nothing if you can’t follow directions.”

Back to that again.

"If you can’t trust me. I know,” she said, rubbing her forehead.

He lifted his shoulder in agreement. “You’d go to the highest bidder.”

"To turn on them. And help you.” She reminded him.

"You kids gonna be happy with that? With you helping me?” He asked, glancing at her leg, referring to her kids being happy at her being at her being injured. She’d been arguing while holding her stance, using her cane as support, but as they were talking she was angling herself to lean against the desk, and Rio was following her, a quiet dance. “This? This is what I don’t got time for.”

Beth breathed out. She had to slow down. "I don’t know what I need to do to make up to you that I screwed you over. Big time. I get it.” At the flame in Rio’s eyes she told herself to keep going. “If I had to run errands for you, if I had to drive a truck again-- I’d do it, all right? But you need to treat me like--” she crossed her arms at Rio raising his eye brows. She pulled out a hand. “I’m not asking for you tell me anything close to everything. Just something. Not even about you--” Because heavens the thought you’d tell me something about your personal life with everything he knew about her. “About the business.”

"Give you a reward,” he said, and again she heard the mocking. Reward her for going against his words.

"Tell me something so I can show you--”

He nodded quickly. “Give you a bigger knife.”

She tilted her head. If she had time, she’d let him keep at it. Sure, she went against his wishes. His orders. She knew one thing. If he wanted her out he would’ve kicked her out with no preamble. Maybe not even done it himself if he was furious enough.

He glanced to the side. "Or what, wait until you cut yourself this time.” His eyes returned to her face as he moved closer, and she had nowhere to push herself back into, only unless she sat on top of the desk.

"Better me than you, right?” She asked.

He started shaking his head and opened his mouth when he stopped. They just stared at each for a moment, before she noticed how close he was leaning towards her, didn’t move her eyes from his face but saw from the side of her eye how his right arm was just beside her hip. And at that moment she noticed him recognizing it himself, and she looked away when she noticed his eyes moving lower, not wanting to see where they ended up. This wasn’t--

"I did it because I had no choice. I thought I had no choice,” she added quickly when he opened his mouth. “If I’d work so hard for my family, and I know you do too,” she leaned a little towards him, regretting it a moment later because he didn’t lean back, didn’t move, and she knew that he’d get a kick out of it, for some reason, despite everything. “Wouldn’t it just be easier if we worked for something--” and her words stumbled as she was about to say “together”, because she could barely imagine it herself, even though that’s what she was working for from the moment she arrived at the dock in Detroit. It was a bigger together of course, one that included Ruby and Annie, but still she couldn’t bring herself to use that word. “The same goal?” She settled.

His eyes slipped to her lower face, and she saw them stop at her lips, and she felt that familiar warmth roll higher with long arms like an octopus. "Bet you’d promise this won’t happen again?”

She couldn’t and for some reason she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t lie to him. “I promise I’d do anything to get that goal. Just like I was going to make it work to get you to get that deal done,” she pulled back. “Even if I didn’t,” she said before Rio could. “But I hid those papers.”

"For me?”

For you too, she thought sullenly. Because I didn’t think I was ready to do this on my own after all. Not yet anyway. It wasn’t just one reason that guided her but it was never just wanting to get one over him for the sake of it. “Because that’s what I needed to do,” she said. "I'm OK, by the way," she looked downward. "In case you wanted to know." But she'd said it to cut something that was building up, something that was pulling between them ever so tighter with every conversation. She had to stop it, derail him. Them. Before she'd get too caught up in a game. And in fact, he hadn't asked her.

She waited for him to speak. He didn’t and after a few more breathes he finally leaned back again and pulled his arm away. It wasn’t the answer he was looking for but if she were honest with herself, he hadn’t come in this room to be convinced. He stepped back from her and turned, stepping away and opening the door and closing it. Her eyes widened at the closing door. She breathed out and stepped off the desk, forgetting for a moment and biting her lips at the pain. It was a little harder to breathe. This couldn’t be over, she thought and her shoulders tightened into her body. She wasn’t ready for that. Even though he’d left, something stifling stayed back. She turned to her window, to open it and let some air in.

* * *

Great. Beth turned her head from her phone to the clock on her bedside, trying to calculate how long she’d give him to get through his anger before she’d try to find him again. Twenty minutes? An hour? She rubbed her eyes, sighing loudly. Maybe she’d just walk off this boat herself. Not that getting on foot would take her far at this point, but she had money.

What, to continue on with this fight right now, that’s what she was going to do when he was clearly too ticked off for her to reason with him? And the points he’d made, even if she could stop and consider some of them at some point – he just needed to listen to her right now. Enough to keep her on the payroll and she’d deal with the rest later. She didn’t do anything he wouldn’t do, of that she was certain. Though was her idea that they be able to work together only because they worked for the same goal – without trust, would it really be possible? If he told her nothing else, gave her nothing else? But without him giving her anything they were back in square one. Him not trusting her, her not trusting him. But she did, hadn’t she? Trusted him enough to do this. And he – had trusted her enough to bring her alone? Though had he? She had kept redefining what trust meant since she’d met him.

If she’d get back to Detroit though she’d have some time to sort this out and try again. What was salvageable right now? It’s not like he wanted her here and her body rebelled at the idea of continuing a fight that would late to stalemates like that. She’d had years of having arguments with Dean that sometimes never were resolved. They’d just wake up and between feeding the kids and dressing them – or OK, her doing this, and between Dean taking them to school, fights were sometimes just dropped because life continued. And so much remained unsaid and unresolved.

She couldn’t promise Rio she wouldn’t go against his orders. Not if it meant that it was risking her ability to work with him, which was why she’d set out to do it. Not when she, Ruby, and Annie needed that money so desperately. Ugh, maybe, maybe if he’d trust her enough, if she trusted him enough, that she’d know he’d fight for her, that if something went wrong he wouldn’t cut her off. Could she expect him to trust her when she didn’t trust him? Ugh what was that thought? She couldn’t think about him. But it was logistics. If she wanted to stay in this, he was her contact. It was practical. And it made sense for both of them to trust each other. She just couldn’t imagine – couldn’t imagine what that would feel like.

The sound of two firm knocks made her sit up on her bed. She expected the door to open even though it was locked. When it didn’t she looked through the peephole, unlocking the door she had been sure to lock this time. Rio came through, meeting her gaze and turning his body to her as he stepped in, then without a word walked down the short hallway into her bedroom. Only when he crossed it he turned around.

She took a few steps towards him, watched him step back so she could lean against the desk. His eyes likely matched her, as stubborn as his expression was that tiredness still flanked behind it. Resignation and she expected she had it too in her own eyes. That stubbornness though, it still held in the air between them and she wasn’t quite ready to appease him yet, even though she knew she needed to. She was about to say, OK you know what, let’s take a few hours, I just need a break. We both do. Just say it in a way that would appeal to him, she trained herself on the words forming in her throat. She opened her mouth when Rio took a small black rectangle out of his shirt pocket. She leaned a little close and fixed her eyes on it. A USB. She looked up at him.

"Read this.” He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That finale right? I’m still hurting. Like a lot of us I'll be looking for comfort in fanfiction and fanart land through the loooong wait.
> 
> The vast majority of this fic was drafted before s2 aired and between that and me still having a similar vision I had when I started it, I don’t expect I’ll make any big changes to it, especially not major plot points.
> 
> That said, sadly it’s firmly canon that Beth and Rio do not talk, but listen, I had to have them dishing it out a little here. 
> 
> Here’s wishing for a whole lot of healing to happen to Beth x Rio in season 3. A whole lot of healing. 
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments. So so much appreciated.


	10. Chapter 10

She took it out of his hand and held it between her fingers, taking stock of it as if she could open it like a book. "Do I get a computer to read it with?” She asked with a little attitude trying to mask her excitement, while her mind raced with possibilities of what was inside it. Apprehension took a far back seat as she considered the black USB.

Rio pulled a phone out of his pants pocket, a kind she wasn’t familiar with, and a cable, picked the USB out of her hand and gave her the phone and cable.

“Is this one of your businesses?” She guessed, pointed her chin at the USB in his hand, and leaned against the desk. His silence didn’t even bother her, her curiosity piqued at its contents as she searched for a slot in the phone to fit the USB cable in. Once she did he passed her back the USB. She plugged the other end of the cable into it and held the USB against the back of the phone.

The phone pinged. A little giddy at the sound she waited for a window to pop up on the screen. When this didn’t happen she swiped through the various screens to find the file.

"It’s not loading.” She held the phone with the USB tucked behind it, out to him.

Smoothly he drew to her left. His hands on his sides she turned the screen slightly to him and waited for his instructions. Changing his mind seemingly he took hold of the phone, which was fine, but in doing so he grabbed her hand, covering it with his right one. Quick enough to pull away her right hand in time, her heart sank as she tried to make her left hand follow suit but met resistance as he tightened his hold.

"Can I--” she tried again to pull her hand away.

“Hold on a sec,” he said with the same voice he’d used when he’d said the door was open when he’d crashed Kenny’s birthday party, keeping his hand on hers, his eyes on the screen as he pressed a few buttons. He took a sharp breath and raised his face before tilting it downwards again.

He hadn’t stood that close to her she thought, his shoulder parallel t hers, though he just had, hadn’t he? Right when they’d stood outside her room and Rio was putting a jealous boyfriend front in front of Nathan. Her chest tightened but it was with a thrill at the prospect of being privy to another sliver of his business, she promised herself, as he navigated the screens.

She followed what he was pressing, helping distract her from the warm hand covering on hers. It was anticipating this that was allowing her to put aside that he was in her space again. It was a little awkward, the way he worked his way around her body, the way her arm was held against his chest so he could get a good look on the screen. He stood so close and the room was so quiet she could hear him breathing. His smell, that faint smell of aftershave and wood and something that just smelled of him, filled her senses, and by this point she couldn’t get enough of it. _Lean back_ , that stubborn voice whispered in her head say, no doubt responding to his touch.

The voice made way to an ebbing feeling of guilt. She was still married, she knew, as if that was supposed to stop her from feeling attracted to another man. As if it stopped her own husband from acting on his desires. A small flame burst behind her ribs at the memory of betrayal, but more than that it left her with sadness. Rio’s breathes brought her back to the room and the mixture of excitement and discomfort as he stood beside her. To assuage the guilty pangs she again tried to slip her hand from under his. He tsked at her, not letting her go, his eyes never leaving the screen, sneaking his right hand through the space between her body and left arm. It was uncomfortable, but as she put weight on her left foot she found it easy to almost lean into him.

Finally a manual opened up and mercifully he gave her back the phone and stepped aside. That had been a first, she thought with heated cheeks as she scrolled down the page to its title, trying to make meaning of it. He hadn’t held on to her like that before when it was just the two of them. She focused back on the document.

"I’m showcasing this tomorrow morning.” He crossed his arms in front of her. “Think you can get through it?”

Beth glanced at the page count. On the top of the page. 1 out of 140.

"Enough to get the gist,” He said.

"Yes.” She scrolled down, her eyes glued to the screen.

"You lock this up when you’re done,” He pointed at the closet that housed a safe. “No leaving it around."

"I won’t.” She read through the first paragraph’s summary and stopped. “An app that IDs plants?” She blinked back at the screen.

"Plants and insects. For now. You point at it and it tells you what it is.” Rio gestured towards the phone. “One of the markets is emergency services, identify poisonous plants and whatnot. It ain’t perfect, we got it in beta stage, but we got some prospects.”

"That’s incredible,” she scrolled down. “Where was this when I was a kid?” She kept reading.

Not that her family had always been huge on nature or camping trips and the like, but with a curious sister and a personal desire to occasionally get away herself Beth had gotten into a few scraps. Or, more often, Annie. It would’ve been useful all the same.

It was a rhetorical question that she said more to herself than anyone. She wasn’t expecting an answer. The air had changed, still, even though he hadn’t responded. Feeling something being held between them she looked up as he turned his face away. She could’ve sworn he was biting back a smile.

He put his hands in his pockets. “If people ask you about it, you’ll have something to say. Just, if someone starts talking about specifics, orders and whatnot, I deal with that.”

She glanced down and back at him and took her finger off the scrolling button. “Thanks,” she said.

After everything that had happened, he’d trusted her with this. A business. She didn’t want to but couldn’t help but feel touched. She weighed back down the feeling. This was business. It was another chance. She moved her position on the desk, keeping weight on her left foot and felt something nudge her. She was surprised at it, the feeling that she didn’t want to disappoint him. That she wanted to do a good job. That wasn’t the worst of it. It’s that she’d felt like that before though, hasn’t she?

"You’re gonna get a pay cut because of this. A major pay cut.”

Beth breathed. “I understand.”

"One of them is out.”

She shook her head. "What? What do you mean?”

"Your friend or your sister. Out.”

Air left her chest and coldness replaced it. She stepped off the desk, her right foot punishing her. She squinted, ignoring the stab. "They didn’t do this. I did.”

"And it affects other people.” He lifted his chin.

"Then keep it.” She stepped forward, pushing the phone back at him.

He shook his head, his eyes on hers, and she could tell he saw this coming. Still, she tried.

"I’ll not tell anyone. I’ll do anything. Any job.” Wouldn’t that be better, it would keep Ruby clean. “They’re in this with me.”

A smile reached his lips but his features didn’t soften. He shook his head. “It’s what you got. I told you not to do something and you did it.”

"I did it and your deal is back on,” she said firmly. She wasn’t even sure it was true, but by his features she sensed a subtle change. She wasn’t wrong.

"Consequences,” he held firm. “Your sister or your friend. Neither if you pull yourself out. It don’t work that way.”

He hadn’t reached out for the phone and she held it between them, a boundary she couldn’t see that she wasn’t crossing standing between them. She held his eyes. She was the one that everyone relied on and she’d messed up and what was worse, is that it wouldn’t affect her. It’d affect her sister or her best friend. Both of whom needed money badly.

Even if it was true that Ruby had already strongly voiced she didn’t want to take part in activity that’d get her in trouble, Beth knew her. Knew that she was going to do anything to get her daughter healthy again, knew the details about how care would be ongoing. She understood it because she would do the same. Done work to keep her children housed and fed. How could she choose between either of them? Her sister and her best friend.

She couldn’t quit. The question of how she was supposed to concentrate was pushed aside. He wanted her to take responsibility for something that ended up helping him. If she left now, she’d have no chance. She’d simply have to change his mind. That mantra of taking a step at a time, a step at a time. She’d just keep doing what she’s been doing.

Once he left, she continued reading. She made herself lie back on the bed, her injured leg on two pillows, icing her swelling. She had a lot to catch up on. Rio hadn’t told her when she’d need to use this information. For all she knew he’d be knocking on her door in minutes and tell her it was time to test her. It was impressive, what he’d (they? He’d mentioned it was ‘we’) worked on. When the details got technical she scanned past, deciding to focus on understanding the logistics she could, to understand the basics enough, Rio’s words echoing in the back of her mind.

Rio had said something about dinner before he’d left. In an hour. She knew she was risking it lying down and her eyelids did grow heavy. She sat against the pillows, forcing herself to get through a few more pages, and she closed her eyes telling her it’ll just be a moment, just a moment. Karin’s words had crossed her mind and she’d shoved them aside, done it since she’d gotten on the boat, and that alone was tiring her.

* * *

 

She opened her eyes. She'd lied down for a minute before dinner with the plan of resting her eyes. A moment later when her eyes blinked open she saw she’d fallen asleep and that a full twenty minutes had passed. She’d be on time if she was ready right now. But so much had happened that day it was no surprise she’d crashed like this.

On cue, her phone rang.

"Hello,” She answered the blocked number, guessing about the caller.

"Ready?”

She stretched her back, stiff from falling asleep in her position, and she groaned into this phone before she could stop.

"So no.”

She shut her eyes, displeased and embarrassed he’d heard that. It’s her injury. She’d never relax enough around him for – and she squeezed her eyes. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

Certain he’d be there in that time she started getting ready, mentally marking the steps she’d need to take. With slower movements she was able to wash her face and even apply a little makeup before fitting in her dress, actually finding a shade that matched a little the cane she had with her. And sure enough, ten minutes later Rio was at the door. She smiled at him, unable to ignore that he looked good. Dressed a little more formally than usual with the similar dark clothes he was used to.

She’d find a way, she silently promised to Ruby and Annie as she locked the door behind her, ignoring that he chose to stand close to her despite having the entire hallway. She turned and had to back to the door, instinctively wanting to put space between them.

"What?” She asked him.

He gave her a small smile and shook his head, stepping back and turned towards the hallway. She lowered her gaze to her dress, trying to see if something was out of place.

"You coming?” He turned back to her.

She stepped beside him, putting her weight on her cane. She didn’t love to use it, but if it meant it’d keep the swelling in her foot down…

"You look good,” He said, taking a glimpse at her.

"Thanks,” she said automatically. That’s what his gaze was about? He had complimented her before, on this very trip in fact, but she had the feeling he was trying to distract her. Take off her mind from what he’d told her. She wasn’t going to let him do that. But she’d take a compliment. She did look good.

"Nice looking too,” she glimpsed at him. “Outfit,” she clarified, nodding at his clothes, lying through her teeth. Her eyes met his as he laughed.

* * *

 

Rio quizzed her on the device on their way to the dining room, one of his first questions if she'd locked it away (she had), seeming pleased that she had been able to retain some of what she’d read to memory.

"So I shouldn’t feel bad you fell asleep while you read it,” he sat down in front of her. While the dining room was full they’d been able to find a spot, a few familiar faces nodding at them as they’d walked in.

"Oh, you should. That was exactly the reason. Thank you,” She chose to tease him, taking a menu from the waiter showing the options for the meal.

"When is it going to happen?” Beth asked.

"What?” Rio asked, and Beth ignored his mocking expression.

“What made you walk out in a hurry after I handed you what I did,” Beth said, keeping her words vague.

Rio didn’t answer for a moment. Beth sat back patiently. As seconds passed and he didn’t budge she looked away.

"Fine,” she was too hungry and tired to deal with him right now anyway. “Can you tell me how long tonight’s going to be?”

"No party tonight, sweetheart. Just thought you’d be hungry.”

Beth gave him a tight smile as she grabbed her glass and drank. "So where’s the showcase tomorrow?” Her eyes fell on Rio, appearing uncharacteristically distracted.

"What’s he staring at you for?”

Since he didn’t bother going into more detail, Beth tried to follow his gaze. Her stomach warmed at the friendly face across the room.

"Nathan?” She turned to Rio, surprised, and at his stern features thought, _not this again_. “Just saying hi.” She smiled at him before shrugging her shoulders at Rio. She put her fingers around her glass, feeling a shot of courage. “Don’t worry. I’m here with you.”

Rio raised his eyebrows a little, catching himself, nearly pouting at her. Something about it tore flames through her. “He made it sound like you were friends,” she said, quickly changing topics.

"Yeah, he ain’t being so helpful recently.”

Internally Beth was perking up as her shoulders still sagged a little on her chair.

"Maybe used it all up on you.” Rio said, taking a drink.

He had no idea, Beth thought.

"I’m sure you’ll figure out how to get what you need,” she said earnestly.

"Not when a guy decides to go MIA and the only way to get through him is the Chinese Wall.”

"What’d he say when you asked him?”

"Nothing I could use.”

Nathan kept chatting with a small group. Beth finished drinking from her glass and held it in her hand.

"Elizabeth,” Rio said, his tone lined with caution.

"Don’t eat all the appetizers.” She said simply, getting up, and setting the glass down. If he was going to stop her, he was going to have to physically hold her back.

It was possible that he was saying something else but she’d stepped away already. Normally she’d feel less self conscious, her steps more graceful without the need of her cane, but she held herself as if she was walking on the softest surface with a purpose.

"Alanna,” Nathan smiled at her.

"Hi,” Beth nodded at him and his companions. “Could I steal this guy from you?” She asked, settling her smile on Nathan.

"Don’t tell me that you came up here to ask me to dance?” Nathan teased as they stepped aside.

Beth had noticed a few pairs on the sides, laughing as they made a corner their dancing floor.

"I think I have to eat first.” She said with a small laugh.

"Sorry, it’s not a good idea with your foot.”

"I just thought I’d get a third opinion on that injury of mine,” she smiled, chatting Nathan up.

A few minutes later she glimpsed around the room, hoping not to find Rio walking behind her, losing his patience. It wasn’t quite the case when her eyes fell on him at their table. A voluptuous, pretty woman had sidled up to Rio’s side. A woman distinctively different from the one she’d seen him with the night before. That possessive twinge, again, she thought with disappointment. The same she’d felt when she saw him talking with a different woman the night before. It’s OK, she comforted herself, extinguishing it, returning easily to her conversation with Nathan.

"Well, I believe you. Maybe I could have just one dance?” She asked demurely.

"OK. If you’re sure,” Nathan said.

Beth put her cane against the nearby wall. “What could one dance hurt?”

* * *

Nursing a slightly more sore foot and a dance later, Beth returned to her and Rio’s table, ready to take some weight off her foot.

"You’ll need to be ready tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I’ll send someone to pick you up,” Rio said.

Both options of appetizers were on the table, surprisingly seeming to be mostly untouched. He’d chosen both options like she’d expected.

"I can take a cab.”

"This is quicker.”

She bit into her meat, choosing not to argue. She wouldn’t have expected that the catering onboard would’ve been this tasty but she’d been impressed.

"Who’s going to be the audience tomorrow?” She asked again.

"You gonna tell me what he told you?”

"Yes. I just want to know what to expect bright and early tomorrow first,” she said.

Rio licked the insides of his mouth and shook his head, before giving her a few backbone details about tomorrow’s expo.

When it was clear he wasn’t going to share more info he held his fork in place.

She tried to mimic his signature innocent expression, but at the annoyance in his features it turned into a firmer, blank expression. She took a drink before she spoke. “He didn’t give me a number.”

Rio shook his head. “So what was that long talk about?”

If it was anyone else, Beth was sure she’d be right in suspecting something else was under Rio’s dismissive tone. But he had let her go despite what had happened.

"Some people just want someone to listen.” Beth took a bite of her food. “I didn’t tell him anything.” She said earnestly. If what she said worked, it would. If not, well, it wouldn’t turn the deal back.

She couldn’t fault him for not trusting her, and that’s what she felt he was saying with his expression. It was only surprising he wasn’t saying it out loud. She had been telling the truth. She shared nothing with Nathan, not even the name of the man who Rio was trying to reach, and not only because Rio hadn’t shared it. Nathan had guessed it all the same.

Moving on, she shared a few pieces of her beef, dropping a few pieces of it on his plate after he’d cut a piece of his chicken and passed it to her. They’d kept the conversation mostly to business, Beth asking questions about the device she’d learned about, a strange backdrop to the stranger hint of intimacy of their actions. It didn’t mean anything, Beth waved the thought away. She was doing business, Rio sharing the history of how the product came about. And she wanted a bit of chicken. Big deal.

And if she noticed during dinner the same woman sneaking glances at Rio a few tables beside them she ignored it. Let her look. This was just temporary anyway, this set up, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time, and she wasn’t going to be bated to comment about it like anything about this was more than it was. There was no crime in looking anyway, she knew, resisting a weird urge to put her hand on Rio’s as if staking her claim.

"I told you, I don’t want that,” he said when she tried to pass him some truffles.

And if in talking about how the product came up she learned tiny details about him along the way (he’d moved apartments at some point when the product was just plans, and changed partners when it was time to chip the idea to investors), it was again, just beneficial for her to know. Practical.

"At least try one.” She brought her fork back to his plate.

Holding his own fork, he shook his head. "Uh uh. I ain’t touching that. Mushrooms.” He reminded her.

Yes, how could she forget the comment he’d made when Christopher and his boyfriend were caught up in conversation. "Sure, but have you ever tried truffles?” She brought the fork to her mouth.

He just stared at her so she knew it was a no. She finished chewing.

“I tried your pancakes.” She said, ignoring his “that’s not the same” stare. “What happened to trying new things?” She asked, realizing she was mimicking his faux innocent tone, as she stabbed a few truffles.

He stared at her and she stared back, waiting him out, her fork raised above her plate.

"All right,” he said without moving his eyes off her.

Wasting no time, she slid her knife over her fork above his plate, leaving the truffles like petals on an offering plate.

Popping and crackling sounds came from the windows, followed by flashing of lights. A few heads turned along with Beth’s and then exchanged looks with each other.

Beth turned back to find Rio chewing, the truffles gone from his plate. "How was it?”

"No good,” he said, picking another piece off her plate with his fork.

At some point during dinner she’d given him permission to take something directly off her plate, and later she’d taken the liberty to do the same. And here they were.

She laughed, looking over small groups of people leaving.

"You wanna go?” He asked, sipping on his drink.

"Yeah,” she smiled. He got up and started walking, not before grabbing another piece with his fingers. “Not so bad, are they?” She asked.

"I can’t believe you made me try fungus.” He licked his thumb.

"Oh, be quiet.”

She smiled as they walked out of the dining room. It dawned on her as they turned the hallway that as she’d started walking away from the table she’d held out her hand to him and he’d taken it. It felt too late to drop it now, as if it draw more attention to what she’d done. Outside trails of sparkling lights drew zig zags and dotted sparks across the sky. It wasn’t as crowded as she’d expected but still, a small gathering filled the deck around them.

"That’s beautiful,” Beth said as her eyes drew over the sky. Apart from Jane, all her kids loved fireworks. The family had made a habit of going out to watch them each Fourth of July. She shifted on her leg a little and felt his eyes on her, catching a glimpse of her leaning on her cane.

“I’m OK,” she answered a question he didn’t ask and glanced back up at the sky. Truth was she was balancing her good leg and her cane and was regretting just a little standing outside even though she truly wanted to enjoy the fireworks. A few more minutes wouldn’t matter, she was sure as she enjoyed the sky light up in front of her. There was something special about watching fireworks out on a lake. It took her back to more than one happy memory.

On her periphery she saw Rio glance to the side before he stepped behind her, leaving a tiny space between them. She stiffened as his arms went around and closed on her waist and he pulled her against his chest.

She held her protests in the last second, reminding herself of the small crowd surrounding them. She could just barely recognize a couple of faces, their attentions fully on the each other or the sights above.

Rio leaned his head against her ear. "To your right.”

She discretely turned her head to find Christopher and his boyfriend gazing at the sky.

“It’s OK. I got you,” He said and while she heard the teasing in his voice she eased a little into him. Her eyes returned to the fireworks but the awe that she felt before was muffled, mixed with something else. Just one of many momentary distractions, she reminded herself. Fleeting, momentary distractions. Lights continued flickering and dancing above her but her thoughts drew back to the man behind her He was touching her hair, putting his fingers through it, and well – it felt as good as the first time he did it and she could enjoy it. That is, she couldn’t be blamed for enjoying it just a little.

She leaned back against him, giving in, putting her weight against him and off her foot. She set the cane against her leg.

"You good?” He asked.

"Yeah.” She wasn’t sure she could get used to caring Rio, having just recently caught a glimpse of it when he was crouched down in front of her. Not when he was directing it to her anyway. “I’ll be OK.”

It was nice. It felt nice, standing against him, her weight off her foot, even if she couldn’t feel completely comfortable, couldn’t completely let go, and she tried not to think about anything beyond that.

“Rio, we were looking for you.” Christopher spoke over the crackle of the fireworks. She hadn’t even heard him walk up.

“Just taking a break.” Rio said. His chest hummed as he spoke and despite her resolve the sensation soothed her. It was bewildering how exciting – or intimidating – or pacifying his presence could be, and sometimes eliciting multiple of these responses at the same time.

“We caught up with Dex. He’s in.”

“Good.” Rio said and rested his cheek on the back of Beth’s head.

Christopher and Rio exchanged a few more lines about logistics that were hard for Beth to hear over the clash and pop of the fireworks. They’d clearly done these deals before and, like the first night they’d had dinner together, spoke in half sentences and coded words. She did catch Christopher agreeing to meet at Rio’s suite later.

It wasn’t said explicitly but she had a feeling it was the deal they were chatting about. Did it help, she wondered, playing nice with Nathan? That was really all she did. Yes, it had to be, she thought, not realizing she was responding to Rio’s posture easing a little. The deal was moving forward again, and she breathed easier, her limbs loosening as Christopher walked back across the deck, forgetting the tension she felt at being held by the man behind her. With Christopher gone, her attention returned to the sky. Clouds of smoke remained from the colorful streams and people laughed and chatted around them and their silence. She turned on her feet, wishing briefly he won’t let go, wanting the moment to last a little longer. Only then did she become aware her hand had migrated to lie on top of Rio’s, her fingers tracing a path across the back of his hand. The hell with it, she pushed on, not stopping for a moment the motion.

She quickly grew self-conscious, despite her intentions, her eyes not even paying attention to the fireworks above them, catching them too late. She was going with the moment but it was just something she’d have to soon put behind and it was better not to start anything. Her hand slowly slowed down its movement into a halt.

"Don’t stop,” He spoke so quietly that for a second she was sure she imagined it. She hadn’t. Her body had responded to it. It was like his words burned through her. What she’d to spin around and reach up to him and try to douse some water over the fire. To give in. Her chest ached at the need. She closed her eyes. What was happening to her? She couldn’t feel this. This didn’t make sense. She was letting herself caught up in a moment that she knew better than to believe was real. His hand went over hers. Again, she closed her eyes briefly, her hand moving again, caressing his softly. She breathed, not hearing waves nor fireworks. Let her just enjoy a moment. Just a short moment.

"I’m sorry I didn’t get to dance with you,” she said, unsure where that came from. But it had probably spurred on by what he’d just said. When he didn’t say anything she chastised herself – what was she doing? What was she saying that for, what was the point in saying anything?

"You seemed to be having a good time.”

She nearly scoffed, looked to the side. _Men_. “I was doing a job.” She glanced at him. “You seemed to be doing OK on your own.” She looked down at their hands, not enjoying how her words made her sound.

"Talking to someone ain’t the same as dancing.”

Sure, cause clearly that’s all the woman seemed to want to do. Or even him from how he was smiling at her... She wasn’t going to take it there, needing to keep some semblance of pride. Focused on her thoughts, she missed the biting edge in his words, sharper than the opportunity reasonably called for.

It wasn't just her who was a little distracted when she'd talked to Nathan. She noticed between their exchanges Rio's eyes checking in on them, would go so far as say he was himself distracted from the woman who was smiling at him. Rio's guarded expression made absolute sense. Somehow she expected trust would just not come easy for them which made a -- business partnership -- harder to navigate. But that's what she was here for.

"What did you promise him?” He asked. “Last I checked I haven’t paid you yet.”

Beth nearly huffed. But he was right. She would’ve tried to buy a favor in a moment.

"I need to know.”

"I didn’t promise him anything,” she said. When she felt his grip tighten a little she looked back at him. “He likes to feel needed. I just knew how to approach him.” She turned her face forward again.

Rio’s arms loosened just a little. Beth looked beyond them at her cane.

"Did he tell you how long you’ll have that for?” He asked.

Beth shook her head, biting a sentence about needing to get off her foot soon. It didn’t matter, didn’t matter at all why she chose not to say it. “Maybe I should get used to it. Who knows how soon I’ll need it,” she said, meaning as a joke, but another layer hid underneath. She knew she was older than him. He knew it. Granted the risks of something terrible happening to him were very real in his line of work – and that she didn’t want to think about. But she had about it, hadn’t she? Fleetingly, even if it had made no sense to.

A little alarmed at how her comment may be taken she hoped he wouldn’t respond dismissively, then wished he’d tease her when he still didn't speak. Finally, she felt relief at his silence, breathing out, letting her comment go, choosing to enjoy the moment.

"I don’t care about that.” He said softly.

Her shoulders stiffened and she tilted her face to his. He looked straight ahead, but turned his face to her and she turned hers away. It wasn’t just her imagination – she couldn’t just imagine it. She couldn’t imagine what he was saying. Could she?

"I gotta go,” He breathed out, pulling himself away from her.

She nodded, thinking over the voices around them, “Be safe.”

"Sounds like you’ll have another late night,” She hugged herself, feeling the cool air now that he wasn’t holding her anymore.

"I gotta clear out my room too,” Rio said. “Boss man’s running a couple of meetings at the same time. It’s cool. It’s nice out here,” He looked up. “A good spot to chill.”

In fairly mild weather like this the outdoors was no doubt inviting. She was grateful that she wasn’t the one kicked out of her room as she watched him walk away. Something shifted.

“Wait,” she called after him.

Rio leaned closer when he didn’t hear what she said.

"If you need a place to stay—” She pushed a few strands of hair from her face. “I can share.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Yeah?” He asked.

She breathed."I trust you.” She mustered in as strong voice as she could. And she did, didn’t she? Maybe not completely, but with that, she did.

He didn’t reply, only a hint of surprise showing in his face before he turned away again. She meandered to the edge of the stern and gazed at the water, brushing her hands against her arms. The cane set beside her reminding her it’d be better for her to get off her feet soon.

The fireworks gone, she remembered how, when she’d gotten to watch fireworks on the beach, her eyes would travel to the water to watch them reflect and oscillate over gentle waves. She tried to remember the last time that she’d done it. That she’d gotten lost between lights.

Hard to believe that less than twelve hours ago she’d said something different right to his face. Only that morning she’d been the one to ask that he not stay in her room. Which had been what, not much more than twelve hours ago. She wouldn’t have been able to imagine the rollercoaster that she’d get on. No matter. She looked down at the water. She was just doing a favor. A friendly favor. It’s not like she invited him to snuggle in bed with her. Or-- no.

It wasn’t even about endearing him to change his mind on what he’d told her earlier. But well – it wouldn’t hurt to help him out. She glanced at the time on her phone. It was too late to call her kids, but maybe she could see if Ruby or Annie was up. She wanted to talk to someone and chat about anything – just not the man who had left her side a few minutes ago.

"It’s good to see you on your feet.” Karin said.

Beth turned her face to Karin who’d stepped up beside her. She crossed her arms on the ledge. “More or less in one piece. You’re all right too?”

"I’ll be OK.” Karin glanced at Beth’s cane.

"I’m all out of favors so I hope that’s not why you’re here,” Beth said, not unkindly, if unfairly. She’d gone against her and Karin’s deal and since had blocked out the reality of Karin’s threats.

"I come in peace.” Karin raised her palms. “But if that was your apology, I’d give it another try.”

It won’t stop her from telling her business to people in town, Beth figured, but she thought better of goading her.

“I had to do what I needed to protect my own,” Beth said, echoing Karin’s words that she’d said during the party. At least she could appreciate that. And if she was going to do what she’d threatened and tell on her, Beth would just have to deal with that. She’d put up a fight but she didn’t have anything else to give Karin in an attempt to play nice.

"Here I was sure money could come between you. That that small tear I could be picked at,” Karin shook her head. “Your boyfriend made sure that I was gone the second that he got there. It’ll be a while before I forget the expression on his face when he found you. It looked like he was going to tear the whole place down.”

It took Beth a second to realize that boyfriend meant Rio.

She looked at into the waves. "By the time I woke up the person he was angry with was me,” She couldn’t imagine Rio responding so strongly to her injury, settling on the comment Karin made about a small tear between her and Rio. To say an understatement.

"The heart wants what it wants.” Karin said matter of factly. The waves hit the ship, soothing it. “You scared him.”

That Beth quite doubted and she stopped herself from making a face. Rio was angry that she betrayed him. Again, she thought with a hint of self righteous guilt, reminding herself she did what she needed to. Who wouldn’t choose their children in that moment? In the last moment she took something she beleived would give her and Rio an advantage just in case the exchange went to hell, but that too was in part to protect herself. This was about business.

And all right, she conceded, there was a tiny worry in his expression when she woke up. But that only underlined her point that they were in business. You wouldn’t want someone in business to be unable to do his job.

"Look, I found you because I have a proposition.” Karin turned her body to face Beth. “Not a favor.” She raised her hand as Beth opened her mouth. “I know how the people we care about drive us to make hard choices. I came between a woman and her man, I guess I should’ve known better.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “I got a business. Property management. All legitimate. And expanding.”

Beth waited for her to continue and shook her head quickly, confused, when Karin didn’t.

"You made a choice today,” Karin said. “You took a risk to try and make a deal work to the advantage of who you work with. That’s something I can put aside, or I can use.” She leaned forward. “And this time you won’t be competing with him.”

Something in Beth’s mind clicked. "After everything, you’d actually consider hiring me?”

“Not every woman would take the risks that you took going that day. It’s something I could use. Take some time to think about it. You don’t have to make the choice now.”

There it was, an out that she needed. Legitimate work. The question of course was too, could she trust Karin after everything?

"Birmingham Properties. I’m sure you’ll do your homework.” Karin said. “If you want, you can look at our books.”

Beth tried to search her memory for the name. Even though she had a longtime experience been a property owner, had Annie ever rented from them in the past?

"It means you’d leave Detroit. Our main office is in Ann Arbor. It’s not far, about an hour away. But I doubt that’d come between you two.”

That would certainly not be Beth’s worry, and the idea was set aside as her brain whirled with the information.

"I didn’t expect you to do this,” Beth said honestly.

"Why destroy,” Karin leaned against the ledge and glanced at Beth’s cane again. “I meant it when I said we need to help each other.”

"A lot of people need help.”

"Yes,” Karin. But she wasn’t making this offer to them, went unsaid.

"It probably helped that the – group got what they needed,” Beth said, thinking of how the man had bolted with the documents.

Karin nodded. “Missing something but it got smoothed out.” She raised her eyebrows.

"Tell me something,” Beth said, not missing the tone she heard Karin use when she spoke about Rio. “How are you different from him, if he mixes legal and illegal work?”

Karin waved her head. “Love isn’t mixed up in this,” she motioned at herself, “So I expect it won’t get difficult. I made it easier for you – I’ll only ask you to do legal work. Can Rio promise you the same?”

Once Karin left, Beth lifted her foot as she put her weight on her arms, listening to the waves.

Would she be willing to move her family? Say goodbye from the town she grew up, from her sister and Ruby? And Dean of course. If she were honest with herself, she could see him relocating as well if it were the case. She couldn’t see Annie and Ruby not living in the same city as hers either, though the idea was preposteros. Their lives were squarely in Detroit. As for Dean, she didn’t want to take him away from his kids. She expected you could sell cars anywhere but he’d naturally have to be consulted.

This could work for Rio. If she was leaving, he’d have no choice to take on Ruby and Annie. If he even considered keeping her on the pay roll there wasn’t a difference between what he saw in her and the benefits he saw in having Ruby and Annie working for him. He couldn’t be that petty if there was no way she could work for him. It couldn't work better.

No, she couldn’t quite believe she was honestly considering this plan. In the past she hadn’t entertained moving anywhere. It had never been practical if anything with Dean’s business tying them to Detroit, beyond the fact that her community was where she’d grown up. But at the bitter memories still in her mouth over what had gone down in the last months, some of which had gone on well before she found out, well, the idea of starting somewhere new and turning a new leaf certainly had a draw as well. Ruby and Annie flashed in her mind.

This wouldn't be a decision she'd make tonight. In fact she found it hard to believe she was actually considering it without tossing it aside immediately. If trust was a challenge with Rio it meant something altogether different with Karin. Of course she'd research it further and what broke her heart a little was even the disappointment it would be completely legitimiate work. She gazed upwards. Something was wrong with her.

For her family. For her sanity, she reminded herself, the wind carressing her arms comfortingly, making her think--

It'd take more than one night to sleep on it -- not to mention talking with Ruby and Annie -- but it was a start. She breathed in the air, giving her a little longer to enjoy it.

* * *

It had been a good several hours. Several hours of negotiations and meetings. Not all of them were productive but that was part of this too. If someone had told him how much waiting went around some of these dealings he’d – he’d probably still be doing this but man, the time it took some people to make decisions, the consultations that went into it. The egos. Maybe his too, but he couldn’t dwell on that.

It wasn't clear what he preferred, the legal or off the books work. Probably the one that gave him the most profit. Illicit affairs seemed to promise a quicker bump even if it came at a risk to his freedom. But he was always careful no matter what he was dealing with. That’s one reason his bosses invested in top lawyers.

Somewhere in between the second and third meetign he'd made a call to his mom to check on his dad. They weren’t very close but he still checked in on them often, especially since his dad started complaining about pain in his hips that wasn’t going away. Dozens of tests later it was still unclear what was going on. He’d researched doctors and specialists and his dad had a follow up coming up next week. He was thinking of going with him. He wasn’t sure his parents always asked the right questions.

He didn’t expect his late meeting with Christopher to take so long, but he also didn’t think that this weekend’s deal would take so much back and forth. That and trying to run a couple of other things at the same time. He usually didn’t stretch himself thin like this but it was hard to say no to a good opportunity and some seemed to come up now. A lot of times conversations broke down anyway so it was worth trying to hustle when it happened.

Then, of course, there was clean up after Beth’s stunt which cost him time from other tasks, a fact he was not happy about. If she was actually hoping to work for him again this wasn’t the way she’d get there. Still, he couldn’t not admire her spunk, as he admitted to himself that what she’d done was something he’d tried when he was first in the business. Couldn’t get anywhere if you didn’t take a few risks. That was before he recognized a smarter way to makes moves to get ahead.

He could never say that to her. Didn’t need to encourage that way of thinking. She was cocky enough, not recognizing just how much who she was, what she she was, color protected her. Despite that, she’d impressed him with the risk she took.

Amy was walking beside him, a woman he’d chatted with the night before. They’d bumped into each other again as he strolled on the deck, taking a breather.

"Did you expect to be working this late?” She asked him.

"No.” He shook his head. “It was supposed to be over hours ago. Sometimes you got these nights too.”

"Hard to do that on a nice night like this.”

"Sometimes.” He put his hands in his pockets.

"I got 20 people I’m responsible for,” she said. “I know sometimes it’s good to take a break.”

He rubbed his chin and nodded.

"It’d be nice if we could keep this night going,” she said, slowing down her steps, eyeing him with sultry eyes.

"I know,” he said with a smile. “Any other night, I’d say yes.”

"I’m sure,” she looked him up and down. "It was real nice bumping into you,” she tilted her head. “Again.”

"You too.” Rio flirted back.

"And you sure that you don’t want to come by?” She stretched her round body and he could see his fingers touching her.

"Nah,” he weaved silk into his tone to soften his rejection. “I got someone waiting for me.”

She pouted and he smiled. "If you change your mind,” she put her hand on his arm. “I’m in 305.”

She gave him a lingering hug. He looked after her as she strutted away. Pretty Amy. She loved a challenge as much as he did. He gave her one last look before he changed directions for his cabin. He still had work to do. He always had some work to do. He glanced at his phone as he paced down the hallway.

Usually he could take a bit of time off, could unwind a little, even on a business trip. But not this time. Too many conversations were happening at the same time. Too many negotiations. He turned a corner and another.

It was addictive, the feeling of being in charge, knowing other people counted on him. He was there for his family, for his employees. Knowing he was needed. As much as it was exhausting. She was right. He turned back. He couldn’t tell her that. Not in that moment. Not ever. But he knew very well what it was like to be the one who has to make the smart decision. Just sometimes it wasn’t clear what that decision was.

His mind cleared with a reminder. He’d almost forgotten a new meeting that had crept up last minute. The time indicated he wasn't in a huge hurry, he could still make a few calls, maybe-- No. He needed a second. Maybe he’d take a shower first to recharge. His boss didn’t need his place quite yet.

He stopped at the door. He had reached her cabin. How’d he get here? He knocked on the door before he could change his mind. No answer. Hm.

Didn't he already tell himself that he needed a minute? He’d worked without barely a break over the last week and it had been a meeting after a meeting these past two days. Yeah, this wasn’t what he planned, to end up outside her door – but he was already here. Pushed forward – or was it pulled? It was hard to tell with her. But—

She’d invited him over but she hadn’t given him a key. What if he – he turned the doorknob and light from the hallway spilled on the carpet in her room. He pushed the door open with his palm. He exhaled, half in anticipation, half in resignation.

This woman really had to learn to lock her doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so bad.
> 
> 2/7/19 -- Edited for thoughts that uh logically should've been at the end of the scene after Beth's conversation with Karin, not before. And for word repitition.
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> ******** Spoiler for next chapter below, skip if you don’t want to know. ********
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> ******** This fic is rated T. With the timeline and tone of this story I felt it’d be too soon for Beth and Rio to get it on. Still think next ch will be good and hope this doesn’t stop you from continuing to read. 17/8 -- Rating was changed to M to be safe but there won't be graphic physical content. ********
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	11. Chapter 11

They’d talked about it right? She had given him permission. Now that he was in her room, it was true, he wasn’t quite thinking straight, the click of her door’s lock sealing something for him, even if he couldn’t name what it was. He didn’t turn on the light, not wanting to disturb her, his eyes searching for her as he entered the bedroom. Slowly he made out her figure under the blankets, the details in her face etching out in the soft light that came through the window. Her expression looked so peaceful, he wanted to…

He took off his shoes and set his phone on the nightstand and climbed on the bed, lying down beside her on his back, mindfully leaving space between them. Even with that a spark lit up at her close proximity. It needed to stop. He needed it to stop and his eyes settled on her face. So of course he’d jump at a chance to not just walk in her cabin but get in bed with her. Knock it to curiosity. He’d move to the couch in just a second. Her foot was nearly falling off the pillow set at the foot of the bed. She probably put it up to keep it elevated. He stopped himself from sitting up and fixing it. He’d do it in a minute.

Reluctantly Rio tore his eyes from her and closed his eyes briefly, business thoughts still buzzing in his head. Once adrenaline was rushing it wasn’t easy to shut it off. This weekend brought people together he’d not usually meet and the back and forth of keeping all the conversations straight was making his head spin. No wonder his thoughts were a little jumbled. A part of him was still in those rooms, calculating how today went and his next steps. How conversations and negotiations he’s had over the past two days would help him cement his position, which was never completely secure, how he could use it lead him one step higher. How it was all worth it to provide for himself and his family. He always needed to stay at least five steps ahead and keep his eyes open. He’d still made mistakes no matter how prepared or thorough he was. But what mattered is how he’d work it so each one pitched him forward.

It wasn’t clear how the woman beside him could fit with the business. Her mistakes were unpredictable. Newbie mistakes of someone who thought she deserved the world just for being who she was. She did work hard and she took some risks, the kind that could help him. She had also betrayed him. Defied him. He’d defied superiors before, he had to, to prove his worth, but betrayal – even the fact she was here was a risk.

A risk he still ended up right beside with at the end of one long day and somewhere the fates were laughing. If she’d sneaked in his thoughts a few times, even managing to find a way in that wasn’t entirely business, so what? She was everywhere. It’s not like he never before imagined what it’d be like to touch her. Cause that’s, it was just something a guy would feel curious about with a woman who looked like her. Those silk pjs of hers, the shine of them illuminating in the darkness. He didn’t usually see women in – well in silk yes, but not that kind of style.

He got a kick out of it, when he got under her skin. She’d try to get out of his grasp practically each time he touched her but he felt it when she’d give in and relax her body and mold into his, when she begged him to kiss her without saying it. He felt victorious each time. Comforted. Like he was a step closer, as if there was any kind of plan here when the only smart choice was to back the hell off. That was only fair to her and to himself. He didn’t need the headache.

Cause hell, it wasn’t going to do any good to deny it. Something was there between him and the woman sleeping beside him. Something that started so early he didn’t remember when he hadn’t been aware of it. He enjoyed the permission he had to touch her over the last couple of days. He hadn’t expected to kiss her but he couldn’t resist when she turned her head to him. It took every shred of strength not to shut everyone out and pull her against him and finish what he started. So no, he had been curious. It was a business move to bring her but he’d still also been curious.

What he felt when he found her unconscious that afternoon – he had tried not to think too much about it then but it was something that he could admit now he didn’t like feeling. It rattled him in a way he didn’t expect and didn’t appreciate. He’d never tell Antonio about that. Never tell anyone. He hadn’t had control over it, something deep in his stomach sinking, before Karin assured him she was breathing. He told her to split, not taking his eyes off Beth, and even when his boys told him he had to go, reminded him he had to attend to business, he ignored them. Like he never had to reprioritize when a situation came up and in this business when did it not happen. He needed to tell her to go to hell himself. He needed to make sure that she was OK for him to do that. The man who did it to her was going to pay. He’d do it for any employee.

He shifted his weight on the bed, trying to ease out of an uncomfortable position instead of taking the only reasonable step which was tailing it out of there. Smoothly, Beth responded to the shift in the bed’s weight and drew closer, throwing an arm around his waist, her hand tugging at him, the side of her face resting on his chest. Her breathing didn’t change. She was fast asleep. Rio groaned to himself, thinking ain’t that something. Now he’d have to take his shirt off.

Man, he didn’t need this. He’d already rebuffed someone tonight and if the situation was different he would’ve went for it. He would’ve had a good time. If he didn’t have to focus on business and keep his mind clear he’d be with Amy right now. Not been blatant about it since he and Beth had a fake situation going on and he didn’t need the gossip. Beth was – something he didn’t need to mess with. So, neither one was a good idea to pursue, if not for completely the same reasons, which is why he said no to Amy. Gave her an excuse that his girl was waiting for him.

It had been practical to bring Beth, an outsider with him that – in theory, as he glanced upwards at the thought – no one would recognize. He saw how some businessmen took him seriously with her on his side. But that wasn’t the only reason. He swore under his breath. That was the problem. Like slicing vegetables with blinds on, why would he do it? Someone tell him cause he sure as hell didn’t know.

She’d made him go through hell on the one hand but when you knew someone like that, someone who had shown he could be an asset, well, you either cut him out and kept an eye on him for competition or kept him on for that very reason. Used the asset as a strength. It made sense to have a few wild cards in his deck, as counter-intuitive as it sounded. Was she more trouble than she was worth, he wasn’t sure. As an employee anyway. As a woman she definitely was more trouble. He just couldn’t stop.

He never messed with his workers. He had genuinely thought he’d still be too pissed off for it to cross over to any personal lines, even if her body… Did things to him. That wasn’t the worst of it at all. The worst part was that every time he tried to knock down that this thing with her it came down to him simply wanting her she’d do something that made him think maybe they had more in common than he thought. That they could relate to each other. He had no respect for her husband and could see there were problems there but he wasn’t particularly moved to deal with the added mess of a married woman. Not that it mattered. Her being married was her business. Not that this thing could be anything and not that stepping anywhere near it was was any kinds of smart.

But this was torture, he thought as he glanced downwards at Beth slumbering below him, how could he stop himself from touching her? Then there was what irked him the most, his first reaction when she hugged him. It wasn’t the thought of this is a bad idea or even a hopeful desire that she’d wake up. His first thought was that he’d need to take his shirt off cause he’d get too hot. The fact his thought was so domestic was alarming because it meant he – he – was comfortable with her. That he wanted to accommodate himself for her.

Fortunately, the thought of wanting to take his shirt off was quickly followed by all the ways he wanted to take her, ways so vivid that he could see them happening right before his eyes, making it all that much harder to keep his hands to himself.

Her arm slipped against his chest and she stirred. Her eyes opened slowly before they widened as they focused on him.

* * *

 ****“What are you doing here?” Beth asked, pulling her arm back as if stung. How did it end up wrapped around him? Her hand went to her top as she glanced down, making sure she didn’t need to adjust anything. Her face scrunched a little at the unwelcome throbbing of her foot. Sleep had taken her away from the pain and allowed her the reprieve to rest her thoughts. She lifted her leg to set it back in the middle of the pillow. It took her a second but she remembered – she’d told him he could come over.

“I-- It’s a long story.” Rio put his left arm behind his head and the palm of his right hand on his stomach. “Needed to get out of something.”

“Did something happen?” She rubbed her eyes. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” If she wasn’t so drowsy she could’ve sworn that in the glance he gave her was something akin to affection. “Let’s just say that our cover story helped me get someone off my back.”

Oh. In that case she could put her arm around him and – no, no she shouldn’t. What’s wrong with her? It wasn’t even that she invited him to climb into bed with her. But she didn’t ask him to leave. She dragged her fingers on the bed sheet and put her hand on her stomach instead.

"You got a bad habit of leaving your doors unlocked, darling. Don’t worry, I locked it.”

“Thanks. So are we-- Can we sleep now?” She asked.

“Got something else in mind?” His eyes challenged her.

Yes, he was definitely fine. Again, disappointingly, it was warmth that filled her chest, tipping the balance over her annoyance at his glib answer. She was even too distracted to be upset that he had climbed into her bed without asking for permission.

“N-- no,” she stammered before recovering quickly. “I meant are we good? Did you get what you needed done?”

“Yeah. Yeah you can sleep.”

Except how on earth was she going to do that with him just lying like that beside her, she wasn’t sure. Earlier as she was falling asleep she turned a little Karin’s job proposition. She couldn’t take it seriously, not after everything that had happened. But she had researched the company Karin had mentioned and couldn’t help but feel impressed with what she found. But it involved so much – relocating alone was a huge decision and one she couldn’t make without Dean.

Did he expect to share her bed? She’d offered him to stay in her room but she didn’t think he’d do it or expect to – share it that much. Digging deep, it wasn’t even that she regretted offering it exactly. But this wasn’t enough, was it? Already the reasons for not touching him were dimming much too quickly. She blamed the bed. Only so many things you could do in it, as if the setting was the issue. But she didn’t get up and still she didn’t suggest he’d move to the small couch.

“I’m not gonna try nothing.” Rio’s words dripped with honey.

“Yes, well, I’m not going to try anything either.” She joked but held her breath when she saw flames in his eyes. Try, he seemed to dare her. See what happens.

He’d ended up here. He thought it was safe. She was safe. It had pinched a little. But if he did, why was he looking at her like that? Was it so amusing for him to mess with her head?

“Who was she?” She asked, remembering the comment he’d said a few minutes ago.

“Huh?”

“The something you needed to get out of. Sounded like a woman.”

Rio moved to lie on his back as he stared at the ceiling and smiled. So she was right.

“Was she the one who was talking with you earlier?” She asked, wondering if she sounded like a jealous girlfriend and not caring as much as she should. Her question didn’t mean anything. She was just curious.

“No.”

“She was cute.” Ugh, why did it hurt a little to say that? You know why, she told herself. Just another sign of how a bit of their game had temporarily transferred to life. Like how she’d fleetingly felt possessive over him the night before. Had that been who she was? She wanted to push the unwelcome bitterness off her tongue. “I could see her being your type.” She continued. Better to keep conversation focused elsewhere. Safer.

“You know what my type is now?” Rio’s rubbed his cheek and turned his head to her, a smile curling his lips.

“She’s bold.” While Beth wasn’t able to hear them, she could sense it in how the woman had carried herself. The image easily came up as she thought about it as she was chatting with Nathan. “You like that don’t you?”

“Yeah. I do.”

She broke eye contact, unable to hold the intensity reflecting back at her. Laughter and chatter sounded in the hallway, behind the locked door, growing louder before fading. Partying guests making their way to another gathering or back to their cabins. The boisterous laughter echoed through the quieter ambiance in her room. But it was a deceiving calm, something undulating just under the surface. Always.

“I like it when someone goes for what he wants. She wants.” Rio said. “When they ask questions.”

Beth laughed and bit the inside of her mouth as she carelessly moved her injured foot. “You sure that’s not the opposite of what you want?”

She stretched her good leg, careful to avoid moving the other, and Rio’s eyes followed the movement.

“Only when they ask too much.” He put his hands on his chest.

“To keep up with you they wouldn’t ask any questions at all,” she teased. “It’s what business partners do.” She added in a more serious tone.

"That’s a stretch, sweetheart. You work for me, not with me.”

"So I’m back in?” Her eyes widened.

"Jury’s still out.” He looked back up and closed his eyes.

“I can’t be your only – probation employee who asks questions.” She chose her words carefully, choosing to follow the rules of his game.

"No. But you gotta trust an employee. And you gotta trust a partner with your life.”

Back to that loyalty point. She wasn’t sure, after tonight, what else she’d need to do to earn more trust from him. Even if she went against his wishes. She had to think of her own first. But –

"I got you those papers.”

"Yeah, after you went on a job all by yourself,” He indicated Beth’s foot. “Wanna talk more about that?”

There was nothing she wanted to do less. She didn’t bother answering him. He’d motioned to her foot like he’d been concerned about her getting hurt but that wasn’t what he was talking about. Even after their conversation earlier today she had known he wouldn’t just let it go.

He had given her another chance, she reminded herself. With the opportunity tomorrow morning, with the app he’d shared with her, the window opened just an inch. Navigating her own challenges in life taught her patience. But it also taught her to jump at an opportunity and take it. And if these months showed her anything is that she wanted something more for herself.

“Who’d you think I was?” Rio asked, his question interrupted her thoughts.

“Hm?”

He opened his mouth slightly, rolling his tongue in his mouth. “When you were spooning me.”

“I was not spooning--” She nearly sat up indignantly at the insinuation.

“Did you think I was your husband?”

“No.” She said quietly, hearing the curiosity in his question and suppressing any thought about of it.

Rio didn’t reply and she continued, wanting to fill in the silence. “It was habit. I was sleeping.”

At that he broke eye contact and looked up.

"I told you that I’ve been sleeping alone lately.” She wasn’t sure why she’d said it, why she’d said it like that, but there it was.

“But you’re still married, yeah?”

Like she could get a divorce like another person could get a fast food meal. She paused before answering, though, weighing what his question meant and more than that what her answer meant.

“He hasn’t been staying with me, but yes, we’re still married.”

“So what that mean?”

A by now familiar warmth bit into her chest, threatening to make itself comfortable there but it was mixed with confusion and bitterness. It had been Dean she’d been devoted to for over 20 years. And whatever she saw with the man lying next to her was better left alone. She knew that. She was sure Rio was making conversation and she wondered if the curiosity she heard in his voice was similar to her just wanting to know more about a man who shared so little of himself. Still, he knew so much more about her than she did about him.

“It means…” she stopped to think. “That I haven’t completely thrown that relationship out of my life. Though sometimes I don’t—” she looked down at her hands. “I don’t think there’s something left to save. That I think I don’t want to save it. Then I think about my kids and I don’t know whether it’s better or worse to forgive and move on. With him.”

When he didn’t respond she gazed up at the ceiling, following his earlier example.

"That’s what I tried to say earlier today. About my kids.” she said, bracing herself. “That night at the warehouse I thought that you were going to kill me. The three of us. You just walked away that night making me think it was just a matter of time before you’d kill us.” Never could she ever imagine having a conversation like this. But her getting him arrested led to his showing up at her house giving her an ultimatum. Led to her being here. To her trying to understand and rebuild trust, to figure out what it means between them.

He’d looked away from her halfway through her speech and stared ahead.

"You talk like you’re the only one with a family.” His eyes were harsh as his voice weaved through the darkness. “Like no one else got one. In my line of work, I am a good man. I’m the provider, I got family by blood and by choice counting on me. Just like you,” He hadn’t responded directly to her words but what he shared made her head spin. That had maybe been the most he’d said, shared, at one time. She hadn’t, had she, hadn’t really considered him as a person outside his role as a crime boss. But still, that night after he’d closed the door and she lied on the couch, Ruby and Annie at a distance, she’d thought her life was on the line. She was scared out of her mind.

"I told you to go home. If I was going to kill you I ain’t gonna leave you guessing.”

She blinked. "Duly noted.” She stared at the ceiling, turning over the words he’d just said. "Are you-- do you have kids you take care of?”

A hint of a smile. “Yeah. Nieces and nephews too. A few of them might as well be mine.” He rubbed his chin as his voice trailed off. Already he’d told her more than she thought he’d ever say but she craved more. Wanted to see him with his nephews and nieces. She hadn’t thought of him like that, not until this afternoon when she’d seen him affectionately holding one boy and warmly chatting with another. What did it mean to have that in common with him?

"What are they like?” She asked.

Rio breathed out. “One of them just finished second grade. Loves soccer, could stay for hours on the monkey bars and the swings. He’s into the treasure island lego kit, he won’t play anything else at home.” The darkness couldn’t mask the pride and softness in his eyes.

Obsessed with Lego. Just like Emma.

"Congratulations. Are you able to see him a lot?”

"Not enough.”

She wanted to hold onto this moment. She knew she shouldn’t press her luck and ask for more as she saw Rio retreat back into himself. She wasn’t going to ask for more as for different reasons she wasn’t going to say earlier that in fact it hadn’t been a habit for her to hug Dean as she slept, not for some time. Her last memory in fact of waking up hugging Dean was fuzzy, around the time Emma lost her front tooth. In fact she’d stopped doing it for months before she found out about his betrayal. But what could she say, part of her subconscious thought it was Rio and responded to that desire? Of course not, she couldn’t have known it was him.

"If we’re back to that night. Don’t throw anything at me again.” he said. “I coulda-- that’s not something I can let people get away with.” He said plainly.

"I thought I was going to lose everything,” she didn’t reply directly though she had heard him. “You played it off.”

"Told you. I can’t hold your hand through the hard parts. Can’t do that with everyone.”

"I understand.” She said. The air thickened a little at a heavy silence. “I’m not everyone though, am I?” She asked and where had that come from? 

Rio’s expression grew more severe before he looked away. She looked up at the ceiling, alarmed by her own words. What was she doing, what was the point of getting an answer, even one that she ludicrously wanted to hear if just to have it acknowledged?

"I mean, not everyone’s enough to merit being charity case, right?” Wishing she could take it back, Beth tried to make light of her question. He just looked at her harshly and she regretted now saying anything at all.

"Don’t blow this,” He finally said, and for an honest second she wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or to her. “Just cause you’ve gotten a break. Cause you’re right, when you said there was a reason I brought you here. For business. Don’t blow it.”

Beth nodded. "I won’t,” she said, relieved more than anything that he’d let her comment go.

"Good. Cause I don’t want to regret this trip.”

"Did I do anything you wouldn’t have?” She asked, unable to resist it.

"You and me got different rules.”

Whatever that meant. More unresolved than resolved, Beth looked down at the edge of the bed. He was tiring but she was still not completely sure she wanted him gone. Or moved to the other couch. Not because she didn’t want to have him gone, but stubbornly she realized it was because she wanted the final word. She didn’t mean that he saw her as something more as a woman, never meant that, but if he’d brought her here, if he’d upped her cash those months ago, he’d believed in her. She’d need to prove herself but knowing that the opportunity was right there – she didn’t want it to slip away.

Without thought she stretched her arm out to her left and hit something warm. It was his wrist or his arm, she wasn’t sure since she wasn’t looking. When she’d realized it she started pulling her hand back. She got a few inches in when he grabbed it. She turned her head towards him but he didn’t look at her, loosening his grip just a little laying it back on the bed and fitting her hand into his.

They held hands like that, in a dark cabin, in a strange town. It felt just little harder to breathe. Each of them was looking for comfort. She got that, all too well. They were both hurting in different ways weren’t they? If he cared for a family, by blood and choice as he said – and she knew all about that – if he had to fight, he knew what it was like.

"He cheated on me,” She blurted out. From her periphery she saw him turn his face a little towards her.

"Huh?”

"My husband. He lied to me. About money.”

"How much?”

"A lot. Our house was – we were going to lose our house.”

"He wasn’t playing.” He paused for a moment. “Looks like I did you a favor when I beat him up.”

"No, that was just terrifying.”

"Part of the business, darling. Who’s gonna enforce rules? Best case you’re the boss and police.”

Her hand lay on the sheets palm up and his hard hand started caressing hers. It sent shivers up and down her spine, starting from the middle of her open palm and traveling outwards towards the tips of her fingers. She closed her eyes wanting to focus on the feeling.

"It’s a harsh practice.”

Rio laughed softly. “It’s justice. More brutal on some.”

Beth’s thoughts went to Sarah and Ruby’s concern tone as she thought over her conversation with Ruby.

"What?” Rio asked.

"Nothing, I just remembered something.” She shook her head, barely able to take away her entire focus from how soothing his fingers felt. “Anyway, I don’t know why I told you that. Just that the month you came into my life, a lot was happening.”

"You walked into my life. You stole my money.”

"I made you some money too,” she countered, slipping her hand beneath his and wordlessly avoided being pulled back, instead turning his hand over and pulled her fingers gently over his palm.

"Yeah, real standout employee of the month.” His shoulder relaxed a little.

Beth couldn’t stop from huffing. Couldn’t they move on from this? But she heard a little teasing in his voice and she let the moment go. She looked down at their clasped hands. Moving on had been her mantra this weekend. Where were they moving on to?

“Want me to move to the couch?” He asked, maybe guessing her thoughts.

She didn’t. She wanted to hug him, to caress her fingers down his face. Her throat tightened and she forced her hand still, not having the strength to pull it away. “I’ll be kind and offer to share.”

His hand closed over hers. “I guess I kinda made it hard for you to say no.”

"You can stay.” She said with renewed conviction. Her eyes went to his lips, her unspoken words lingering in the air. You dared me, I’ll take you. Neither of them shifted. Your move or mine. She couldn’t continue to work for him, she’d already accepted, not if she didn’t come in as a package with both Annie and Ruby. Not permanently. Maybe this could be a goodbye. One time goodbye.

Beth’s eyes followed the source of a short beep as Rio’s phone went off. He didn’t turn to it and when she looked back at him his eyes hadn’t moved and stubbornly she stared back. A short pause later the phone beeped again. Rio tore his eyes away from hers and let go of her hand before picking up his phone. The screen lit up his face and his eyes narrowed at the bright blue hue.

"Gotta take care of something,” he said but but only moved to lower his eyes to her lips. Whatever he had read, it didn’t change the tone of the moment. It was as charged as before, as precariously on the precipice. It must’ve been the exhaustion, the possibility that this wouldn’t work and they couldn’t stay in business together, that even if she wouldn’t take Karin’s offer she’d find something else. It must’ve been all of this that gave her the permission she needed and she let herself see it for just a moment. Feel herself tasting him, feel herself accepting his tongue in her mouth. Pushing her chest against him, pushing into him, him pushing into her.

Rio’s phone rang, swallowing the room’s silence. He answered it and held it to his ear. “Yeah?”

She breathed out as he stepped off the bed, as he walked out without giving her another glance.

This was for the best, this was for the best. She heard his voice grow softer as he walked away. She got up and turned on the light on the bedside table, her chest a little heavier despite the relief, heat coming off her cheeks. Watchful of her injured foot she looked around her see if she’d dropped her key there or on the carpet before remembering she didn’t need it to lock her door.

She found him at the door still, speaking in clipped tones and as she approached he stopped and muttered, “Hold on. Hold on a minute.” His lips parted as he covered the screen and he took a breathe before speaking. “That husband of yours? He ain’t no man. A man wouldn’t do that. No one deserves that.”

In his voice she heard it. The “not even you” teasingly but honestly being drawn on his lips. They were comforting words all the same.

“Especially not you.”

Her eyebrows raised just a little, not expecting to hear that, her eyes searching for the familiar taunting expression but not finding it. He didn’t let her reflect on his expression too long, uncovering his hand from the phone.

"Yeah,” he said into his phone and tilted his head towards her door lock. She nodded and he slipped out, the lock clicking loudly behind him. Opting not to look at the time, knowing that it wouldn’t be too long before the sun warmed her room, Beth settled into bed. With her eyes closed she could still feel him beside her but it was no surprise with the smell of him left behind. That was the only reason. She’d never entertain thoughts like this, whatever thoughts they were – and they’d been shelved aside already – if it wasn’t for her being away from home and navigating high stakes situations like this. He’d left. It was for the best. He’d said it was business and it was – of course it was right. Only one more day and she’d put this all behind her. She fell asleep with the feeling of his hand in hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting to publish this chapter. Most of it was written before season 2 aired just to give you an idea of how long it’s been. But because there was that one chapter I needed to work on it took me time to get here. I did edit this chapter a little in terms of their dynamics based on season 2 but wanted to keep most of the tone of what I’d written the same.
> 
> For the readers who’ve stuck by this fic over the past (more than) year thank you and thank you and welcome to new readers. Shoutout to HereLiesBethBoland for being such a supportive writing buddy. You gave me the push to finish this chapter.


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